Hyderabad: Eminent religious scholars from Hyderabad have come out strongly in favour of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader, Asaduddin Owaisi, whose party is fighting the upcoming UP Assembly elections. They have appealed to the people of Uttar Pradesh, particularly the Muslims, to exercise their franchise in favour of the Majlis and thus strengthen the hands of Owaisi. Where the Majlis is not contesting, votes should be cast in favour of ‘better secular’ candidates.
The Hyderabad MP has emerged as the leader of the Muslim community on the national level and it is imperative that he should be supported, said Maulana Mufti Khaleel Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Nizamia, Maulana Mohammed Husamuddin Saani Jaffar Pasha, President, Amarat Millate Islamia, Maulana Hasan Farooqi, President, Sunni Dawate Islami and M Ziauddin Nayyar, President, All India Majlis Tameer-e-Millat.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, they appealed to the Muslims of UP and also the secular-minded people not to be influenced by the Sangh Parivar dominated ‘godi media’. They should vote for the Majlis candidates in the ensuing elections so that they can live with their ‘heads held high’ like the Muslims of Telangana.
Although Muslims constituted 20 per cent of the population in Uttar Pradesh, their economic and educational condition was worse. No government of any political party had ever tried to improve their condition. Instead, they took away their rights and remained silent when communal forces perpetrated atrocities on them. The Muzaffarnagar riots and the action against the CAA protestors by the Yogi government were proof enough.
In these circumstances, the Majlis has emerged under the leadership of Asaduddin Owaisi as a strong force for Muslims, Dalits and secular people. The rising popularity of Owaisi had confused and confounded the communal forces and the recent attempt on his life was clear proof. “Asaduddin Owaisi is a bold leader who doesn’t bow down to anyone except Allah. This is the reason why the communal forces are scared of him,” the Ulema said.
Owaisi, they said, has created a ray of hope among the backward and underprivileged sections of UP and Bihar. Muslims and Dalits in UP, who were down and dejected, are now aroused to fight the oppressors in order to get their Constitutional dues. The Sangh Parivar was disturbed by this revolutionary change and so were the other parties who wanted to exploit the Muslim vote bank. The Islamic scholars appealed to the people of UP to keep alive their newfound spirit and vote out the oppressive forces. They ridiculed the propaganda unleashed by some political parties that the electoral foray of Majlis would actually benefit the communal forces. But past experience showed that these parties failed to defeat the BJP in Assembly elections where Majlis had not contested. “Will secular votes get divided only when Majlis is in the fray and not when other parties are taking part in the elections,” they asked.
Recounting the performance of the Majlis in Telangana during the last 70 years, the Ulema urged the UP voters to give Majlis a chance to represent them. The Majlis presence in UP politics, they said, would surely act as a restraining force on the communal elements. “God willing things will change for the better in the next five years in UP,” they hoped.
Majlis always took the stand which was in favour of the people. Its MLAs boldly represented Muslim issues in the Assembly and the party always rose to defend the community. On the contrary, leaders of other parties have to seek the permission of the high command to raise these issues and they end up toeing the party line.
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