MAJORITY AND MINORITY COMMUNALISM ARE A THREAT TO NATIONAL INTEGRATION

Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal and Mahatma Jyothi Rao Phule Samata Pratishthan jointly organised the National Integration Conference on 4th May, 2025, at historical Mahatma Phule Samata Bhumi, Pune to commemorate the Smruti Memorial Programme of Satyashodhak Dinkarrao Jawalkar and Hameed Dalwai. Rashtra Seva Dal, Arogya Sena, Samajwadi Shikshan Hakka Sabha, Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, Miloon Saryaajni, Purush Uvach Group, Shivsphurti Pratishthan, Pune, Samajwadi Mahila Sabha, S.M. Joshi Socialist Foundation, Vicharvedh Association par-

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ticipated in the conference. Hyderabad-based author Anandesi Nagaraju, a retired Tahasdar who translated and published Hameed Dalwai's book "Muslim Politics in Secular India" into the Telugu language, was invited as the chief speaker and felicitated by the organisers. Anandesi Nagaraju expressed his gratitude for bestowing the honour upon him in memory of Muslim social reformer, revolutionary thinker, and great secular nationalist Hameed Dalwai. Delivering a key address at the conference, he said that the views of Hameed Dalwai are more relevant today. Hameed warned about the communalisation of politics fifty years ago, and the present-day political scenario amply proves his point. He stressed the need for reading Hameed Dalwai's books by every Indian to foster secularism and national integration.

Nagaraju narrated the story "Vidrohi," written by eminent Urdu writer Kishan Chander, which he read when he was in class 10th, about the life journey of a boy who lived in the Pakistan area during the Partition. The boy's sister and mother were brutally raped by the muslim fanatics in front of him. He somehow manages to escape from them and reaches the Indian side, where he sees a long queue. Upon inquiry, he was told that a muslim girl was caught and the queue was for her. To avenge the rape of his mother and sister, he stands in the queue. But, the loud shouts of agony of the girl brings him the sad memories of cries of despair of his sister and mother. And he leaves the queue weeping. This book showed him that we should not forget humanism in the face of religious bigotry, which turns men into religious fanatics.