Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KOLKATA69
2007-02-26 14:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Kolkata
Cable title:  

LEFT OBJECTS TO CONSUL GENERAL'S MEETING WITH JAMIAT-E-ULEMA

Tags:  PGOV PHUM ASEC PREL ECON SOCI IN 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 0580
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 0574
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RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 1770
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000069 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC PREL ECON SOCI IN
SUBJECT: LEFT OBJECTS TO CONSUL GENERAL'S MEETING WITH JAMIAT-E-ULEMA
HIND LEADER

REF: A) KOLKATA 0041 B) CALCUTTA 0011 C) 06 CALCUTTA 0578

CLASSIFIED BY: Henry V. Jardine, Principal Officer, U.S.
Consulate General Calcutta, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000069

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC PREL ECON SOCI IN
SUBJECT: LEFT OBJECTS TO CONSUL GENERAL'S MEETING WITH JAMIAT-E-ULEMA
HIND LEADER

REF: A) KOLKATA 0041 B) CALCUTTA 0011 C) 06 CALCUTTA 0578

CLASSIFIED BY: Henry V. Jardine, Principal Officer, U.S.
Consulate General Calcutta, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Summary: On February 24, ConGen met with West Bengal
Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind (JUH) General Secretary Siddiqullah
Chowdhury at the JUH offices to discuss Muslim issues and
concerns in West Bengal. Chowdhury has come to local prominence
recently in leading Muslim opposition to development of a
Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the rural district of Nandigram,
where there is a concentration of Muslim villagers. In January,
opposition to the SEZ in Nandigram resulted in at least seven
deaths in violent clashes between villagers, opposition groups
and the state-ruling Leftists (Reftels). Chowdhury indicated
that his organization and other Muslim groups plan to form a
political party to contest the 2008 elections for village
political committees, known as panchayat raj or panchayats, and
to increase Muslim political activity. During the meeting, a
group of approximately 150 Leftist demonstrators gathered on the
narrow street in front of the JUH offices to protest the
ConGen's presence, claiming U.S. interference in domestic
matters and condemning USG policy in the Middle East. After the
meeting, Kolkata police and Special Branch officers provided
security, pushing back protestors so that ConGen and POL FSN
could enter the vehicle and depart. Extensive media coverage
the following day noted the objections of Leftist party
officials, primarily the Communist Party of India of
India-Marxist (CPM),but also published post's response that the
visit was consistent with an extensive program of Muslim
outreach conducted by the Consulate. The visit will likely
result in CPM and other Leftists remaining hostile to U.S.
officials; however, it did serve to highlight USG interest in
understanding Muslim views and USG Muslim outreach in the

region. No official action is expected as the West Bengal Chief
Secretary commented publicly, "We have no objections to foreign

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diplomats meeting leaders of Indian organizations unless they
are banned." End Summary.


2. (C) ConGen met with Chowdhury at the JUH offices, located in
the narrow streets and alleys of North Kolkata's old Muslim
district. Chowdhury has come to prominence in the last month
for his efforts at spearheading Muslim opposition to the
Government of West Bengal's (GOWB) industrial development plans.
The JUH's initial focus was on plans to create a large SEZ in
the rural district of Nandigram, located 150 km southwest of
Kolkata. According to Chowdhury, the area was predominantly
Muslim and Muslims would see little benefit from the SEZ.
Chowdhury said that "We are not against industry but we oppose
the setting-up of industries by destroying farmland, houses,
educational institution and religious places." He added, if the
"Special Economic Zones come up in West Bengal, 70 percent
Muslims, 25 percent OBC and 5 percent of other communities would
be affected and at least 700 villages will be destroyed."
(Note: On February 22, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattcharjee
said that development plans would shift from Nandigram to the
already established Haldia Port Area SEZ. End Note.)


3. (C) ConGen also asked the JUH leader about perceptions of
the Muslim experience in West Bengal in light of the Sachar
Committee Report on Indian Muslims, which noted that the
community has received very little support from the GOWB and
experienced significant social disadvantage. Chowdhury and the
other JUH members present felt that the CPM and its Left allies
only gave lip service to advocating for Muslims and that JUH and
other Muslim groups were planning to establish a new political
party with some fringe Leftists, such as the Party for
Democratic Socialism (PDS) and the Communist Party of Indian
Marxist Leninist (CPIML),to contest the village-level panchayat
elections in 2008. Chowdhury noted that JUH has an extensive
network throughout India and in West Bengal it has 600,000
members and runs 8,000 primary education centers, including
Madrassas. ConGen asked what was taught in JUH's Madrassas.
Chowdhury responded that the focus was on religious studies but
other modern subjects were covered, like social sciences,
languages and mathematics.


4. (C) Soon after the discussion began, noise from a
demonstration forming in the street in front of the JUH could be
heard. Approximately 150 supporters from the CPM ally Rashtriya
Janata Dal (RJD),led by RJD Member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA) Mohammed Sohrab with some CPM members and other Leftists,

KOLKATA 00000069 002 OF 002


loudly chanted slogans against President Bush, U.S. troops in
Iraq and the ConGen's presence in JUH's office. The shouting
reverberated in the second-storey meeting room, making
conversation difficult. Police and Special Branch officers were
present to control the crowd, but on his departure, ConGen was
asked to wait while the police cleared access to his vehicle.
As the vehicle with police escort departed, there was some
pounding on the vehicle hood but no damage or serious violence.


5. (SBU) Coverage in the press the following day noted that the
Left and CPM were upset with the visit. English language daily,
"The Telegraph" published a lead article entitled "U.S. Steps on
Landmine" and had comments from a CPM state committee member
asking, "How can the US interfere in our state's affairs? This
is an attack on our sovereignty." However, on February 26 the
newspaper published an article "Angry with the U.S. but Hands
Tied," quoting the West Bengal Chief Secretary A.K. Deb as
saying, "We have no objections to foreign diplomats meeting
leaders of Indian organizations unless they are banned." In
addition, most articles included comments by ConGen and
Consulate spokespeople noting, that "the visit was part of the
Consulate's Muslim outreach program." The meeting created some
confusion within the CPM organization. According to Bengali
daily "Bartaman," state committee member and state government
minister Rezzak Mollah asked, "How does an Ulema leader meet
with the diplomatic mission head of a country like America that
considers Islam as an enemy of civilization and is about to
pounce on Iran after the destruction of Afghanistan and Iraq?"


6. (C) Comment: Clearly, the CPM and Left supporters were
indignant over the visit with Chowdhury and JUH leaders, seeing
it at interference in domestic issues. However, the GOWB
officials and Consulate statements deflected that charge as the
meeting with local Muslim leaders was consistent with normal
outreach efforts. The strong response from the Left reflected
the awareness that the Sachar report and violence in Nandigram
have raised serious questions among Muslims about the Left's
support to the community. Historically, the Left has claimed to
offer protection to Muslims from sectarian violence and
oppression as experienced in Gujarat or elsewhere in India and
they have used Muslims as a reliable vote bank in elections.
Therefore, JUH's plan to create a Muslim party constitutes a
potential challenge to the Left in West Bengal.


7. (C) Comment Continued: A new Muslim political party also
may be a reflection of the growing importance and sense of
identity of the Muslim community in the states bordering
Bangladesh. Bangladesh's high population density and growth
will likely contribute to an increase in Muslim migration to
India and Muslim political influence. Last year in Assam, a new
Muslim party, Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF),split off
from the Congress Party over the Congress' perceived lack of
support to the Muslim community. Anger within the CPM and Left
may persist over the visit to Chowdhury but the Chief
Secretary's comment to the media reaffirmed that no diplomatic

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norm was violated. The Left's public irritation actually may
have helped to highlight the Consulate's engagement with the
Muslim community and willingness to listen to its concerns.
JARDINE