By Mohd Shafiquzzaman
All agree that the communal forces are winning elections even in Muslim majority areas because of division of Muslim Votes. Everybody appears to be concerned about preventing the splitting of Muslim votes but no-body is telling how to achieve it?
We can’t advise your on how to vote because we do not know the local conditions and local candidates and we are not repository of better wisdom than you. However we are giving you a formula for you to decide your candidate to vote, a formula which Insha Allah will work in all conditions and constituencies without the likelihood of reverse polarization.
Firstly we should understand that there are no secular parties. Only individuals are secular or communal. All the so called secular parties perhaps with the sole exception of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s party have aligned with BJP at one time or the other. Therefore
Ø We should decide on the basis of individual candidates in a constituency and not a party.
Ø We shall not vote for candidate of the communal party or its ally.
Ø Ascertain that minus the above candidate who are the two front runners.
Ø We should vote for one of these two candidates who is less communal.
Ø We shall not vote for even Muslim candidate if he is not number one or two front runners in the race.
It will have four advantages:-
i) Since we may be voting for different party candidates in different constituencies, there cannot be a blame that all Muslims are voting for a particular party and hence Hindus should vote for BJP.
ii) Since the formula also envisages that Muslims shall not vote even for a Muslim candidate if he is not number 1 or 2, there cannot be a blame that Muslims are voting on communal lines.
iii) The candidate who wins with your support is more likely to be helpful to you in local matters which are cutting edge level of solutions of most of the problems of the community.
iv) All the so called secular parties may be tempted to avoid fielding avowedly communal candidates in future elections.
Ascertaining no.1 and no.2 front runners and deciding one among the two is easier said than done.
There can always be the accusation of taking money or other influences in such selection. But it is not so difficult also. Transparency is the best safeguard against all such accusations and possibilities.
This can be done in two stages as follows:
(1) Form a committee of Presidents and Secretaries of the mosques in the constituency.
(ii) Just about a week before poll, after the final list of candidates is out, the Committee should hold a meeting by invitation of non-affiliated important Muslims of the constituency and circulate a slip with the names of all the candidates. And ask every person present to tick two front runners leaving the BJP or its ally. Cont the slips and announce the names in open meeting.
(2) Again circulate a slip with these two names and ask the persons present to tick the name of the person who is less communal in their opinion. Count the slips and announce the name of the number one choice in open meeting requesting all the Muslims to vote for that candidate. And publicise it among Muslims with whatever means possible.
Even if it is not possible to hold the meetings for selecting the consensus candidate as above for any reason, the formula can be given wide publicity and if they go by this formula, following this pattern individuals will come to the right conclusion in choosing their candidate to vote.
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Mohd Shafiquzzaman is an IAS (Retd.) and former Special Chief Secretary Government of Andhra Pradesh
I think brother Shafizzaman has given a good suggestion. The people should earnestly adopt it without political influence of any party or candidate.
Do not do it. May be Muslim will extra seat but Indian Hindus will not take it kindly. Hindus are already saying that Muslims have misused Democracy and Secularism by having 4 wives, hating India and Hindus and degraded Hindu Gods and Goddess in the name of free speech. Any so called unity for just being Muslim is going to ring alarm bells to Hindus. Hindus are going to think that Pakistan or ISI is directing Muslims whom to vote.
Why do Muslims think that if Modi is gone then Muslim will see old days again with Congress, Yadavs, Or Mamtas. It is not going to happen. You may get a TOUGHER person than Modi. No political party will be able to ignore Hindus now. Social Media and TV anchors will make sure that.
The need for Muslim is to WIN trust of Majority community. Many in Majority community are now feeling that it was a big Mistake to keep Muslims in India after 1947.
Muslim community should come forward very vocally and strongly on Kashmir issue else Indians taking clu from its Neighbors may adopt Chinese or Myanmar way to deal with Muslim Insurgency.
Dear Bhakt troll, try your wise RSS tactics elsewhere!
Very well said brother !
Yes good suggestions please follow
In today’s politics where candidates change parties so often, I think it makes sense to select the candidate not the party.
Good this suggestion is having national interest too.
Excellent total remedy in national and community interest by Mohd Shafiquzzaman Sir, IAS Officer (Retd.)!
This is why we need sincere,
qualified and experienced Muslim citizens to think ingenuously to participate with the sincere and knowledgeable non-politically aligned Shoura committee of Ulema/leaders, professionals and social activists—to counter the sinister plot of the neo Nazi fascist forces.
Vote for the “winning” and “more secular/humanitarian” and “pro-Dalit-Muslim” candidate at the “local level” only.
No voting for “single or coalition parties” or for any ” undeserving or unwise Muslim candidate who will most likely lose”!
May Allah give us all the hidayah to “share” this article to influential sincere “millions” of the approx 20 crores Indian Muslim community!
Jai Hind! JazakAllahu khairan!
Excellent remedy for Indian Muslim’s predicament by an ex-IAS officer!
May Allah bless him for his sincere and brilliant solution and his time and effort for the community and nation at large!
Please “share” to all whatsapp, facebook, print-out and send to all Musjids , AIMPLB, Jamiatul Ulema, Jamaat e Islami offices in every corner of the country in ” national interest” and ” sageguarding the community’s progress” against divisive fascist forces. Jai Hind and Wassalam!
Ø We shall not vote for candidate of the communal party or its ally.
Are you saying not to vote for Owaisi ??
Yes, we will vote for Owaisi, only if ….. he is fair in speaking for all underprivileged including Dalits and maintains a moderate and progressive approach for nation and community; and his candidate should be in the first two likely winning candidates …which he is presently doing by joining hands with the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar that is Mr Prakash Ambedkar. Regards.
Vote everywhere so as to defeat communalist candidate and or candidate of communal parties. Let us for the purpose of voting believe that candidate and parties not belonging to safran brigade are secular.
Number of muslim supporters for bjp/modi has drastically risen from past. Most of supporters now are muslim women, shia and ahamadiya muslims. Most of anti BJP muslims are from Sunni sect; they also happen to be anti hindu and anti india.
PM Modi’s hands are filled with dirt in Rafaele deal ‘con’ of the nation!
BJP government was procuring each of “only 36” aircrafts/helicopters at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore as against Rs 526 crore finalised by the UPA government for the procurement of “126” Rafale jets.
That is 300% corruption in our military revenue — real Vikaas!
No wonder all the “traitor gangs”–the Shias, the Ahmadis and few meagre “well-paid women ” are with the BJP—Bhakt Jumla Party!