National parties must work together to break away from the past games of dividing society on caste and religion
The call to Muslims by Aam Aadmi Party leader Shazia Ilmi, a supposedly educated leader, to vote in a communal way, raises question as to why this minority community wants to remain segregated. This is not an isolated event.The question is being asked in all those areas where Muslims are present in large numbers, such as in western and eastern Uttar Pradesh, in Kishanganj, Katihar and Araria areas of Bihar, in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, and in the old city of Hyderabad.
In Assam and some other North-East States, it seems strange that Muslims raise their voice even in support of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and make it a communal issue. The entire North-East is disturbed and illegal immigrants are changing the demography in an aggressive manner.
Muslims often say that they suffer from fear. That may well be the case, but for what reasonIJ Muslims live in segregated areas, support many illegalities and records suggest that most of the crimes are committed by the members of this community. The community itself has debated the issue but its leaders try to sweep the issue under the carpet.Muslims define the electoral trends in many areas. This should be considered natural in a democratic polity. But the concern is that they get ghetto-ed against other communities.
The results have been amusing. In Araria, minority candidates together pooled 45.63 per cent and the other community contestants together polled 55.71 per cent of the votes. In Katihar, minorities polled 49.34 per cent votes and other communities registered 50.66 per cent. The margin of victory was 3.08 per cent in Araria and 2.02 per cent in Katihar. Analysis of similarly placed constituencies produce very similar trends.
Political parties know this when selecting a candidate to these constituencies. So, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader K Chandrasekhar Rao unabashedly play the minority card.Mr Shahid Siddique, a former Samajwadi Party MP and editor of Nai Duniya, says, “For the past two or three decades, Muslims have been searching for an alternative to the Congress but they vote for the Congress to stop India from becoming a non-secular Hindu state. If the Muslims want to be part of the national mainstream, they will have to find an alternative”. Mr Siddique, however, does not suggest the alternative. He does not even consider the Peace Party of India, confined to minorities, to be a solution.
The issue is deep-rooted. In the name of religion, Muslims have been waylaid by their religious leaders. Some of them have issued fatwas in favour of political parties though scholars say the religious texts do not allow it. It is often alleged that the politics of fatwa has monetary benefits attached to it. Are Muslims pawned to the politics of their religious leaders for this reasonIJ
The fear psychosis is cultivated to strengthen the ‘loyalty’. But it spreads hatred and leads to further segregation. The holy book, cannons and fatwas are potent ingredients of this dangerous cocktail. The poor need to be freed from this mix. If it happens, the political base of rich minority politicians will be shaken.Remember, the victims of the Nellie massacre still cry for justice. None of these rich politicians from their community have come to help. In Muzaffarnagar, while Samajwadi Party leader and State Minister Azam Khan plays games with Muslim blood, the poor continue to suffer in camps without relief materials.
The other parties have also played communal politics. They all find it easy to deal with the ‘banker’ than reach out to the ‘customer’.Minority leaders, be it with their power of religion or money, have been politicking — but not to free or emancipate the poor of their community. They thrive as the poor remain in fear and the bondage strengthens.
The national parties have to act to break this hegemony. The likes of Shazia Ilmi should be told that the poor people need to become part of the mainstream and not be communalised for the benefit of a few political players like her. Segregation has harmed and impoverished them. The time to break away from the past has come.