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`Islamophobia' a creation of imperialist forces: Haskar

Staff Reporter

Says imperialist phenomenon has its national repercussions

KOTTAKKAL: The latest fad called ``Islamophobia'' is a creation of the Western imperialist lobbies and commercial imperialist motives are behind it, Nandita Haskar, popular rights activist, has said.

Speaking at a meeting organised by the Solidarity Youth Movement here on Saturday evening, Ms. Haskar said ``Islamophobia'' was a new enemy created by America and its cronies. If it was communism that the imperial forces feared in the mid-20th century, it is now Islamophobia, she said.

The imperialist war is not against Muslims, she said. But America and its followers take on Muslims because they happened to resist the imperialist agenda across the world, she said.

Ms. Haskar said this imperialist phenomenon had its national repercussions too. The cry for Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru's death and the increasing farmer suicide in places like Wayanad were indications of that, she said.

M.I. Abdul Azeez, Jama'at-e-Islami Kerala assistant Amir, inaugurated the meeting held ahead of an upcoming mega conference by the Solidarity Youth Movement. Salim Mampad, district president of the Solidarity Youth Movement, presided over the function.

Earlier, Ms. Haskar addressed a unique meeting ``Irakalude Padayorukkam'', in which 30-odd organisations and groups, which had been the victims of various forms of oppression, took part. Those who took part in the meeting included the Vailathur Jana Jagarana Samithi (which fought a sex racket); evacuees from Karipur Airport (who resisted further acquisition of land in the name of development); and people living in the coast of Tanur (who faced an impending threat of eviction for the proposed Tanur-Guruvayur rail line).

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