Popular Front roots for naming Bangalore international airport after Tipu Sultan

Popular Front of India, an umbrella organization of South Indian outfits engaged in empowering marginalized sections of the society, has urged the Government to name the Bangalore international airport after eighteenth century warrior king Tipu Sultan.

The demand for naming the Bangalore international airport after Tipu Sultan was among the nine resolutions adopted at Empower India Conference organized at Palace Grounds in Bangalore by Popular Front of India. Thousands of people from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu attended the mammoth public meeting on Saturday.

The other resolutions adopted at the conference include reservation for Muslims in jobs and educational institutions, besides resistance to the “saffronization” of the cave shrine at Bababudangiri at Chickmagalur in Karnataka.

The conference, which began with poet Iqbal’s “Sare Jahan Se Achcha, Hindustan Hamara”, also sought “equitable sharing of Cauvery waters” and rebuilding the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya.

Popular Front of India comprising like-minded organizations like Karnataka Forum for Dignity, Karnataka, Manitha Neethi Pasarai, Tamil Nadu, and National Development Front, Kerala, is striving for broad basing an alliance of all oppressed sections of the society including minorities, Dalits and backward classes. Saturday’s mammoth public meeting marked the conclusion of a three-day conference.

Delivering the presidential address at the Empower India Conference, Chairman of Popular Front of India E Abubacker said the objective of the conference is to bring all marginalized and underprivileged sections of the society to a common platform and ensure them an equal share in the development process.

Making a distinction between “Hinduism” and “Hindutva”, Abubacker said the Popular Front of India was never against Hindus or Hinduism. “We can’t equate Gandhi with those, who killed him”, he remarked.

Delivering the key-note address on the occasion, Afro-American social activist and journalist Hodari Abdul Ali called upon Indian Muslims to build alliances with other groups like Dalits and backward classes in the interest of “equality and true democracy”.

Journalist Gauri Lankesh, who is also convener of Communal Harmony Forum, and Moulana Mohammed Wali Rahmani, Secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board also addressed the gathering.

Internationally acclaimed British writer addressed the gathering and emphasized the need for pursuing education, which he said was key to the development of the potential of each individual.
With the gathering comprising people from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the speeches were made in all the three regional languages – Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil – besides English.