Rigid religious view is coming in the way of a candidate in reaching out to the voters. Hyder Ali, the DMK-backed Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (an Islamic outfit) candidate from Mayiladuthurai, is yet to strike a chord with the people in the constituency. The reason: His reluctance and refusal to greet the people with folded hands and say namaste.
According to Hyder Ali, it is un-Islamic to greet people with folded hands. This has shocked and bewildered even the staunch DMK activists who are keeping away from actively campaigning for Ali.The MMK, an ally of the AIADMK during the 2011 Assembly elections, switched over to the DMK camp following Narendra Modi’s participation in the swearing-in ceremony of Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister on May 16, 2011.
leaders of MMK and Muslim league are known for their Opposition to the age old Indian system of traditions. E Ahmed, Union Minister of State and leader of the Muslim league once shocked people in Chennai by refusing to light the Kuthuvilakku (the traditional brass lamp) for inaugurating a seminar organised by the Indo Japan Chamber of Commerce. The Minister told the organisers that he could not light the lamp as it was un-Islamic.
“We do not have any option other than supporting Hyder Ali since our party chief has vowed to save secularism,” a disappointed local DMK leader told The Pioneer.Ali and his colleagues in the party are campaigning vigorously in spite of the fact that his refusal to greet the people has annoyed the local people including Hindus. The MMK is confident of consolidating the 2.5 lakh Mislim votes in the constituency. Efforts are on to bring back the 50,000 Muslim voters from Mayiladuthurai working in West Asian countries back home to cast their votes.
Mani Shankar Aiyer, a well-known Modi baiter is the Congress candidate from Mayiladuthurai. Though Aiyer had promised to make Mayiladuthurai a mini Singapore, the constituency has not seen any progress. The Coal Bed Methane project launched during the UPA regime with DMK’s assistance has put both Aiyer and the DMK in trouble.
The entire farming community in Cauvery Delta, the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu has come out against the project which they fear would convert the fertile region into a desert and obliterate the historical Mannargudi town from the face of the earth, according to S Ranganathan, general secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Association.