The Hindu : U.P. Muslims face a difficult choice

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 22, 2004

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Other States - Uttar Pradesh

U.P. Muslims face a difficult choice

By J P Shukla

LUCKNOW, MARCH 21. The divergent views being aired by leaders of the minority community since the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections have left observers confused regarding the possible electoral preferences of the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh.

The Samajwadi Party had received a preferential treatment from Muslim voters during the past several elections while the largest number of minority candidates contesting these elections belonged to the Bahujan Samaj Party. While the SP has once again made determined efforts to maintain its status as the most favoured party of the Muslims, others have raised doubts about its genuineness to serve the cause of Muslims. The nature of contest during the elections witnessing a fight among political forces making a claim over Muslim votes makes it further difficult for the minorities to make a choice.

The UP Government headed by the Samajwadi Party had taken several legislative measures on the eve of the elections to please the minorities and the Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, has made it a point to refer to these measures at his election meetings. "Even a Chief Minister belonging to the Muslim League would not have taken such bold decisions in favour of the minorities'', Mr Yadav has been quoting some Muslim leader as having remarked while praising his Government.

The Muslim face of his party, the Minister for Urban Development, Mohd Azam Khan, has focussed the minority issue to sharpen the Muslim opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party. While the SP Government declared half-day holiday to enable minority students to attend Friday prayers, created minority educational institutions and granted them generous funds, the BJP was shedding crocodile tears for them only with an eye on their votes during the elections, Mr Khan said.

And to catch on their emotions he would add , "All sins of the BJP can be pardoned, if the party rebuilds the Babri mosque at the disputed site at Ayodhya''.

Mr Khan would see even an understanding between the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf. The latter had agreed to maintain peace on the borders only to help Mr Vajpayee win elections was the logic of Mr Khan.

Many other Muslim leaders would, however, not agree with Mr Azam Khan. The Shahi Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid, Ahmed Bukhari, has questioned the bonafides of the Samajwadi Party vis-a-vis the BJP. He feels that both the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party are prepared to ditch the Muslims. They would join hands with the BJP after the elections and forget about Muslim interests, the Shahi Imam warned the Muslims at a press conference at Mujaffer Nagar.

He advised the Muslims not to prefer any party but cast votes in favour of a winning candidate.

Media reports have suggested that the presence of Muslims at election meetings addressed by Mr Yadav has become thinner this time as compared to the past.

The Congress which expressed doubts that there was a tacit understanding between the BJP and SP over installation of the Mulayam Singh Government, cited the continuation of Kesri Nath Tripahti, a BJP member, as the Speaker of the Assembly as a proof in the support of its claim.

And the party has been able to convince certain sections among the minorities, including the leadership of the UP Muslim Majlis which has announced its support to the Congress during elections.

The Chief of the All India Muslim Forum, Mustafa Kamal Sherwani, accepts that the Muslim opinion was divided over the minority support during the elections. In the past minority leaders had tried to create united fronts but these did not survive under pressure of electoral politics. The Muslim League State Secretary, Matin Khan also concedes that there was no way to prevent a division in minority votes but his organisation would make efforts to tell the minorities the importance of their votes and contest 22 Lok Sabha seats in UP.

While the confusion prevails the saffron forces have been able to enlist support of at least some vocal elements among the Muslims. There are minority leaders like Ghulam Sarwar Azad of the All India United Muslim Morcha who have advised the Muslims to shun the Ayodhya issue and focus on economic issues concerning the minorities. The community should not allow itself to be held at ransom by vested interests and support political forces judging them on the basis of their economic policies, Mr Azad said.

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U.P. Muslims face a difficult choice