By S M Anwar Hussain
2019 parliamentary election is going to be very crucial and a turning point in the history of Modern India. In this election, many things will be at stake: democracy, secularism, Indian legal system, Indian social and political ethos, mutual love and respect for each other among the various religious, linguistic and regional communities, survival of Ganga Jamuni Tahzeeb, and above all, the Indian constitution itself. India will either reemerge on the Nehruvian line of secular polity and composite culture or it will be thrown into a quagmire of fascism, communal hatred, cast war, linguistic schism and complete social fragmentation. ‘Might is right ‘will be the call of the day. Every segment of the society will suffer except the rich upper castes of Hindus. We will see a new India. “You are a respected Indian,” if you are rich, and unfortunately if you are poor, “you are no more patriotic.” And the Muslims will be the worst sufferers whether ‘poor’ or ‘rich’. Their very existence will be challenged with brutal force as the saffronization of every organ of governance and administration is going on, and it will be accelerated if the duo of Mr Amit Shah and Mr Modi is back to power again.
It is the solemn and joint responsibility of Muslims, other minorities, and other oppressed and suppressed sections of the society to see that BJP does not get back to power, and it is made to eat dust in the forthcoming election.
In my previous article “Bailing Out Indian Muslims From Their Present Political Marginalization,” I had advocated to adopt two-ladders approach: First was the short term goal of getting rid of the present BJP regime, and the second was the long term goal of creating an effective and powerful space on the Indian political horizon by knitting a close and respectable social and political relationship with all the have-nots of Indian society. It is the time to start working simultaneously on both the goals. The long term goal cannot be achieved until and unless we make a cohesive and successful bid to stop this regime from coming back to Power in Delhi. As I pointed out in the previous article that as Muslims we have been politically marginalised to the hilt, and that we have no takers. It is the time for us to bounce back to alter the situation with our full might, but not with a bang. We have to learn the art of creeping and crawling to the centre stage without making any noise or sound.
Our success lies in how we strategize our target with prudent, practical, calm and composed moves.
Before we elaborate on our strategy, let us discuss the reasons behind the gradual but dramatic rise of the Bharatiya Janta Party (from two seats in 1984 Lok Sabha to the 282 in 2014.There are many, but I am not going to enumerate them here. Actually, there have been two important factors which have played an important role in creating a strong and loyal political base for the BJP. First, its ability to create ultra nationalistic sense of patriotism among the masses and portraying Muslims as unpatriotic and anti -national. Second, polarizing Hindu community against Muslims by anti-Muslim rhetoric and we help them by our counter rhetoric when election approaches and during the election campaign. Our Imams from their pulpits in their Mosques, our Muslim leaders from their platforms and our Shuyukhs from their Khanquaahs start appealing Muslims on top of their voice to unite, to unite our votes and support this party or that. This has never been productive. Muslims never achieve unity, instead the BJP succeeds in uniting Hindus irrespective of their caste conflicts and so many inner contradictions.
To avoid this situation we will have to change our approach and previous tactics. We will have to be extra careful to see that we don’t provide any handle in the hands of BJP and RSS to communalise the election. I am observing a sense of despondency creeping into the minds of the peace loving people as the forthcoming election is drawing close. No need to lose heart. This is your election. BJP is going to lose. Its all slogans have lost their sheen. Common man is crying due to high rise in poverty and unemployment. Only Muslims are not the sufferers, the whole country is suffering except the corporate sector, big business houses and, of course, some media barons. Even the people in army are worried because of the current defense policy of the government and the huge corruption reportedly involved in the Rafale deal. Highly prominent and prestigious public sector like HALL has reportedly been sidelined to create huge profitable business opportunities for a non-existent private sector company of a personal friend at the cost of the security of the country. Gujarati pride and arrogance, often demonstrated by BJP there, has surpassed the concept of Indian brotherhood and nationhood and thousands and thousands of poor labourers belonging to UP and Bihar has been forced to flee from Gujarat in order to protect their life and limbs, women and children. Even their human dignity and women’s chastity are being threatened. Yogi’s ‘Thakurgardi’ is alienating the Barahmins from BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Billions and Billions have been spent from the government‘s exchequer in the name of cleaning ‘the holy Ganga’ but instead of getting any cleanliness, the Ganges has become so full of dirt and filth from Allahabad to Varanasi, because of the corruption and sins of BJP leaders that if ‘holy personages’ like Shankar Acharyas take a dip in the present day Ganga, I am afraid, they too would come out looking like Mr Amit Shah and Mr Narendra Modi.
People are not oblivious of all these catastrophic developments. They are rather in a state of shock and dumbness. They find it difficult to believe their own eyes and ears when they see the difference between what they were promised and made to dream of and what they are being made to reap for their blind faith in the hollow slogans of BJP, well-orchestrated and publicised by the media.
What to do? Nothing. Just wake up from your deep slumber and resolve to resurface and be resurgent on the election scene. Organise yourselves. Act with double force and vigor. Resurface and re-surge but not before and during the days of campaigns, only on the polling day. Remember our success and our future lies in being how invisible we are during the campaign days. We need to work very silently and very cleverly on the following counts.
1.First decide that your verdict is not fragmented this time. Your target is one, goal is one, strategy is one, and you are one.
2. Remember that BJP and RSS would like to make it sure that your polling percentage is reduced. You have to ensure that it is substantially increased.
3.Your names are being removed from the voter lists. You have to make it sure that every living person who has attained the age of 18 is registered in electoral list. For this you need to make booth committees and work with a missionary zeal. Muslim political activists belonging to any political party must take a lead and see that not even a single eligible name is missing on the electoral roll.
4. In this election you don’t have any choice. Your target is one- wreck the boat of BJP. You should also sail in one boat: the alliance of Congress and other regional parties. In Bihar RJD will surely go with Congress. I have many reservations against Congress and RJD, but we have no choice this time. Nitish Kumar is in BJP’s camp. He must be brought in the secular front. You can do this. You can pressurise both JDU and RJD to come together. For the sake of the future of India, they must sacrifice their personal political interest. Nation is above any chief ministerial chair. They must be reminded. Maulana Wali Rahmani, Maulana Shamim Engineer (Siwani) and Maulana Shamim Mana’ami can play an important and effective role here. And I am sure they must be doing something on this front. We all should cooperate with them in this rendezvous.
5 Never think that Mayawati is going to join secular front led by Akhlish and Congress in UP. Her earlier gesture of staying together with the secular forces in recent bye elections in Uttar Pradesh was mere a bluff. She had twin goals then. First, to let her followers believe that she is also anti BJP and to issue a warning to BJP to see what may happen if she goes with the secular front. (Her hidden agenda only she knows). We must not forget that she remained silent when Mr. Chandrasekhar Azad Ravan, the leader of the Bhim Sena, was put behind the bar under NSA. If we can trace her political track record, we can’t fail to realise that she has always been having a tacit understanding with BJP. She always helped BJP in various provincial electoral battles. BJP is there in Gujrat for such a long time only because of Mayawati’s tacit support. Her role in present assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhaya Pradesh and Rajasthan is a glaring example of her being in league with BJP. What returns she reaps, it is for us to analyze and understand. BAMCEF must realize this truth sooner than later in order to save Dalit movement from being completely derailed and minorities getting totally disenchanted with it.Maulana Sajjad Noamani, Maulana Tauqeer Raza, and Maulana Kalb e Sadique can convince the BAMCEF leadership to ensure that their political face Mayawati should not try any further damage to Secular front in UP.
6 RSS has been very successfully, though slowly, poisoning the minds of our Hindu neighbors that Muslims by their nature and deeds are anti- Hindu. We need to falsify this notion by demonstrating that our religion, Islam, itself preaches respect for other religions, religious leaders and universal brotherhood. Although Shri Ram or Shri Krishna or Mahatma Buddha cannot be considered as Bhagwans, as we believe in only one God that is ALLAH, but still we respect them as our national heroes. However, the history that is preached by RSS, cannot be accepted.
7.We are also painted by Hindutva forces as anti-national and pro Pakistan. No need to be defensive about this. Refuse to budge where your patriotism is questioned. Any act of exaggerated expressions of nationalism and patriotism (like singing Our National Anthem where it is not required) on our part creates a defeative tendency among us and makes the enemy more aggressive towards us. We must remember that we are the true Indians, we were the builders of a strong and robust India and it will be again us who would bring back laurels to our motherland. RSS has the shameful history of being agents of the foreign rule, and we have the bright and proud history of innumerable and unfathomable sacrifices of life and blood for protecting our country from the yoke of foreign rule, and this should be enough to boost up our morale.
8.To achieve our goal, we also need to bridge the gaps within ourselves that are there in the name of casts and Masalak , and reduce the distance with other sections of the Indian people who are yet not committed to BJP’s agenda.
9.Don’t get swayed by any rhetoric that tries to polarise you on religious line. Let MIM play its role in its citadel- Hyderabad and its surrounding, Muslim League in Kerala. And if they ask for your votes in areas other than their conventional strongholds, with ally humility and politeness tell them “not this time please”. As I said before, this election is a question of life and death before us. There are many issues which we need to settle with other self-styled secular parties. One of them is Congress of course. Congress cannot absolve itself of its responsibility towards present predicament of Muslims of India. However, it is not the right time to get ourselves involved on such public debates and wrangling. It is our solemn resolution towards us, towards the motherland and towards the countrymen in general to see that this election explores the process of finally pushing the BJP to its political graveyard.
10.Remember in this battle of guts and nerves you are not alone. There are many from upper castes, Dalits, Backwards, from farmers, from small business class, from laborers, from South, from North, from East and from West, who want to clean India from the corrupt and fascist Hindutva forces as the RSS wants to wipe out you and Islam from India. Yes, lot of organs of government have been communalized, saffronized and purchased, still the large majority of Indians are secular and moderate in their political approach. You have to cash in this scenario. Play your card shrewdly. To repeat, your success lies in how far you remain active, involved, united and above all invisible. Don’t let others know to which direction your wind is blowing. Remain united, but appear fragmented. Don’t get provoked. Don’t be awed by any Jubba, Quaba and Emama. Don’t allow the BJP to play the Muslim card in this election. Success will be touching your feet.
After being a third largest muslim populated country what is the contribution of indian Muslims to global community and indian community?
After giving so many reservations does the position of dalit community grown?
Do this upcoming election have any meaning to Muslims?
The strategy discussed in above article is too good but how far it can be implemented is a big question.
Keep maintaining anti-BJP stand; it will make them even more stronger! It will continue to widen Hindu-Muslim divide.
It is not Muslims who are inherently anti BJP but this national party called BJP which has based its entire electoral strategy on targeting and vilification of Muslim citizens of India. They take pride in being overtly anti Muslim. Garlanding cold blooded killers of Muslims to destroying their livelihoods it is visible everywhere. Do Muslims have a choice?
Muslims of this country have always been pampered under congress rule in the name of appeasement and vote bank politics. That time is over now!
Under BJP rule Hindus are becoming more communally aware, which if continues for long, there will be huge divide between Hindu Muslims communities in this country.
So Muslim do have choice ; either they should come with BJP and Hindus of this country or they can continue their old age anti-BJP and anti Hindu stand. It’s a game of politics and power. There is no space for morality. It’s a naked and brutal truth!
Bro make yogi ji as pm candidate. i will vote for u
Correction.Bro make yogi ji as pm candidate. i will vote for bjp.
With the support of Muslims, Patel united 500 self ruling states into one nation,
With the support of fanatics like you , terrorist modi capable of break nation 500 parts
Remember creator of everything ALLAH IS SUFFICIENT for us
With the support of Muslims, Patel united 500 self ruling states into one nation,
With the support of fanatics like you , terrorist modi capable of break nation 500 parts
Remember creator of everything ALLAH IS SUFFICIENT for us
Remarkable understanding of current Indian political drama and well thought out strategy for Indian Muslims in upcoming parliamentary elections. However it seriously lacks execution strategy. It would be more effective if not so impactful Muslims leadership from various platforms (like AIMPLB, Imarat Sharia, JII, Ulemas, Tableeghi Seniors, Muslim leaders from different political parties, Muslim intellectuals and social workers) sit together for “chintan baithak” on such execution strategy. Still final point remains unanswered- who is going to take this lead?
koi bhi strategy banalo … Mdi nh jaa raha kahin
With the support of Muslims, Patel united 500 self ruling states into one nation,
With the support of fanatics like you , terrorist modi capable of break nation 500 parts
Remember creator of everything ALLAH IS SUFFICIENT for us