Author:
Publication: The Hindustan Times
Date: August 31, 2001
Like many other fundamentalist outfits,
the National Democratic Front (NDF) surfaced in the aftermath of the Babri
masjid demolition. Many religious outfits, including Madhani's Islamic
Sewa Sangh (since banned), had come under a common platform to launch a
religious organization.
Today, the NDF has spread to almost
all districts of the State and has a membership of about 40,000. This steady
growth is a cause of worry for political parties and law enforcers
Though the organization claims that
it is a social organisation meant to check the fascist forces, the claim
has no takers.
Even the political parties are baffled
by NDF's rapid growth. Parties like the Muslim League and Indian National
League (INL) are losing their support base and cadre to the NDF.
If its leaders are to be believed,
its workers have even penetrated the cadre-based parties like the CPM.
Though, the NDF leaders brush aside
all criticism, their activities did come under the police scanner after
the Nadapuram and Kasarakode riots.
"The Union Home Ministry had asked
for a detailed report about the outfit's activities soon after the Nadapuram
riots," admits a senior police officer of the State.
