- Muslims yet again fail to cross proportional representation barrier
- The 126-member Assam Assembly will have for the first time in 50 years, no Muslim member in the treasury benches.
By Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi: Only 112 Muslim candidates were elected in four states and one Union Territory in the recently held assembly elections where Muslim voters are in sizable number particularly in Assam, West Bengal and Kerala. Their ratio is between 28 to 35 percent in these states but they yet again failed to cross the proportional barrier as far as Muslim representation is concerned. Now in all four provinces the community’s under representation continued. Considering their dispersed population at least 190 Muslim candidates should have been elected in the four assemblies.
West Bengal
In West Bengal, where Hindutva juggernaut failed badly, but only 44 Muslim candidates managed to make to the newly elected assembly, while in the dissolved house there were 59 Muslim MLAs from Trinamool Congress, Congress and Left Front. The same number of 59 MLAs was elected in 2011 as well. Among the winners 32 were from TMC, 18 Congress, 8 Left and one from AIFB.
All but one Muslim MLA elected to the West Bengal Assembly are from TMC and the lone Muslim MLA who does not belong to the TMC is Md Nawsad Siddique who has won the West Bengal 2021 state polls on Rashtriya Secular Majlis Party (RSMP) ticket.
In the new house 43 won on the TMC and one on Rashtriya Secular Majlis Party (RSMP) tickets.
Despite landslide victory of TMC, the main reason behind the fall in Muslim representation is the ruling party’s miserly attitude towards Muslim community. Instead of giving more tickets to Muslims, the party leadership has cut down it from 56 to 47 seats this time. It is clear case of taking the community for granted.
The Muslim representation in the state may increase by two more members as the election for two assembly constituencies have been postponed. These seats come under Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district. West Bengal has 30 percent Muslim population and in proportion to their population, at least 75 Muslim MLAs should have been in the assembly.
Assam
In neighbouring Assam, where Muslims account for more 35 percent of the state’s total population only 32 made to the state legislature, which the second-highest after the 33 who were elected in the controversial 1983 elections held during the peak of the Assam Agitation. Of the 32 Muslim winners of the Mahajot, 16 were from Congress and 16 from AIUDF respectively . The two parties won 29 and 16 seats, both improving upon their 2016 performance by three seats each.
While the strike rate of the AIUDF – it contested 19 eats – was 85% and of the Congress (95 seats contested) was 30.52%.
The second-highest after the 33 who were elected in the controversial 1983 elections held during the peak of the Assam Agitation
The 126-member Assam Assembly will have for the first time in 50 years no Muslim member in the treasury benches. The BJP had fielded six Muslim candidates, but all of them lost.
“There has been a narrative in Assam that Muslims will someday take over most of the constituencies. Fact is, the most they can win is 35-36 seats if the constituencies remain as they are. Apart from 1983, the number of Muslim representatives in the Assembly has usually hovered around the 25 mark,” political scientist Prasant Rajguru told The Hindu..
He further said this false narrative picked up steam after 27 Muslims were elected in 1978, which ‘nationalist’ groups found was alarmingly high compared to the 21 seats they won in 1972. It was one of the triggers of the Assam Agitation that began to associate “illegal immigrants” with “Bangladeshis” aka Muslims.
Kerala
The 140 member Kerala assembly will have 32 Muslim MLAs. Among them, 15 are from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), nine from Left parties, three from Congress, three Independents and one each from Indian National League and National Secular Conference. The outgoing assembly had 29 Muslims, three more have been added this time. Muslims account for over 27 percent of the total population in the state.
Tamil Nadu Assembly will have five Muslim MLAs while in UT Puducherry Assembly there will be one Muslim.
Out of 824 seats, Muslim community should have at least 190 to 200 MLAs in proportion to their population. In West Bengal , they should have 75 MLAs while in Assam and Kerala 40 and 35 respectively. In Tamilnadu, community’s ratio in state population is about 10 percent, likewise their representation should consists of 15 members.
List of newly elected Muslim MLAs in all four states and UT
West Bengal
1-MOSARAF HUSSEN (TMC)
2-TORAF HOSSAIN MANDAL (TMC)
3-HAMIDUL RAHAMAN (TMC)
4-ABDUL KARIM CHOWDHARY (TMC)
5-MD GULAM RABBANI (TMC)
6-AZAD MINHAJUL ARFIN (TMC)
7-TAJMUL HOSSAIN (TMC)
8- ABDUR RAHIM BOXI (TMC)
9- YEASMIN SABINA (TMC)
10- MD ABDUL GHANI (TMC)
11- MANIRUL ISLAM (TMC)
12- EMANI BISWAS (TMC)
13- AKHRUZZAMAN (TMC)
14- ALI MOHAMMAD (TMC)
15- IDRIS ALI (TMC)
16- ABDUL SOUMIK HOSSAIN (TMC)
17- HUMAYUN KABIR (TMC)
18- RABIUL ALAM CHOWDHURY (TMC)
19- HASANUZZAMAN SK (TMC)
20- NIAMOT SHEIKH (TMC)
21- SAHINA MAMTAZ BEGUM (KHAN) (TMC)
22- JAFIKUL ISLAM (TMC)
23- ABDUR RAZZAK (TMC)
24- NASIRUDDIN AHAMED (LAL) (TMC)
25- RUKBANUR RAHMAN (TMC)
26- ABDUR RAHIM QUAZI (TMC)
27- RAFIQUR RAHAMAN (TMC)
28- RAHIMA MONDAL (TMC)
29- ISLAM SK NURUL (TMC)
30- RAFIKUL ISLAM MONDAL (TMC)
31- SAOKAT MOLLA (TMC)
32- GIAS UDDIN MOLLA (TMC)
33- AHMED JAVED KHAN (TMC)
34- FIRDOUSI BEGUM (TMC)
35- ABDUL KHALEQUE MOLLA (TMC)
36- FIRHAD HAKIM (TMC)
37- GULSAN MULLICK (TMC)
38- PHIROJA BIBI (TMC)
39- HUMAYUN KABIR (TMC)
40- CHOWDHURY SIDDIQULLAH (TMC)
41- SEKH SAHONAWEZ (TMC)
42- MOSARRAF HOSSAIN (TMC)
43- SWATI KHANDAKER (TMC)
44- MD NAWSAD SIDDIQUE (RSMP)
ASSAM
1- SIDDEQUE AHMED (CONGRESS)
2- ABDUL AZIZ (AIUDF)
3-ZAKIR HUSSAIN LASKAR (AIUDF)
4-SUZAM UDDIN LASKAR (AIUDF)
5-NIJAM UDDIN CHOUDHURY (AIUDF)
6-KARIM UDDIN BARBHUIYA (AIUDF)
7-MISBAHUL ISLAM LASKAR (CONGRESS)
8-KHALIL UDDIN MAZUMDER (CONGRESS)
9-NUMAL MOMIN (BJP)
10-MD. AMINUL ISLAM (AIUDF)
11-WAZED ALI CHOUDHURY (CONGRESS)
12-DHUBRI NAZRUL HOQUE (AIUDF)
13-NIZANUR RAHMAN (AIUDF)
14-ABDUS SOBAHAN ALI SARKAR (CONGRESS)
15-HAFIZ BASHIR AHMED (AIUDF)
16-SAMSUL HUDA (AIUDF)
17-ABDUL BATIN KHANDAKAR (CONGRESS)
18-ABUL KALAM RASHID ALAM (CONGRESS)
19-ABDUR RASHID MANDAL (CONGRESS)
20-JALESWAR AFTAB UDDIN MOLLAH (CONGRESS)
21-ABDUR RAHIM AHMED (CONGRESS)
22-RAFIQUL ISLAM (AIUDF)
23-SHERMAN ALI AHMED (CONGRESS)
24-JAKIR HUSSAIN SIKDAR (CONGRESS)
25- ASHRAFUL HUSSAIN (AIUDF)
26-REKIBUDDIN AHMED (CONGRESS)
27-MAZIBUR RAHMAN (AIUDF)
28-DR. ASIF MOHAMMAD NAZAR (CONGRESS)
29-AMINUL ISLAM (AIUDF)
30-NURUL HUDA (CONGRESS)
31-RAKIBUL HUSSAIN (CONGRESS)
32-SIRAJ UDDIAN AJMAL (AIUDF)
KERALA
1-ANWAR SADATH INC
2-H. SALAM CPI(M)
3-P. A. MOHAMMED RIYAS CPI(M)
4-P. K. BASHEER IUML
5-M. NOUSHAD CPI(M)
6-N. K. AKBAR CPI(M)
7-T. SIDDIQUE INC
8-M. K. MUNEER IUML
9-T. V. IBRAHIM IUML
10-K. K. ABID HUSSAIN THANGAL IUML
11-AHAMED DEVARKOVIL INL
12-P. T. A. RAHIM IND
13-A. C. MOIDEEN CPI(M)
14-P. UBAIDULLA IUML
15-U. A. LATHEEF IUML
16-A. K. M. ASHRAF IUML
17-MANJALAMKUZHI ALI , IUML
18- N. SHAMSUDHEEN IUML
19-SHAFI PARAMBIL INC
20-MUHAMMED MUHSIN CPI
21-NAJEEB KANTHAPURAM IUML
22- V. ABDURAHMAN IND.
23-A. N. SHAMSEER CPI(M)
24-K. T. JALEEL IND.
25- C. P. CHERIYA MUHAMMED IUML
26-K. P. A. MAJEED IUML
27- P. ABDUL HAMEED IUML
28-N.K.AKBAR CPI(M)
29-K P KUNHAMMED KUTTI MASTER CPI(M)
30-ADVOCATE. N. SAMSUDHEEN IUML
31-P.V. ANVAR IND.
32-MUHAMMED MUHASSIN CPI
TAMIL NADU
1- J. MOHAMED SHANAVAS VCK
2-ABDUL WAHAB .M DMK
3-DR.JAWAHIRULLAH, M.H. DMK
4-ABDUL SAMAD P DMK
5-JMH.AASSAN MAULAANA CONGRESS
6- SM Nasar – Avadi – DMK
7- KM Masthan – Gingee – DMK
PUDUCHERRY
1-A.M.H. NAZIM DMK
الحئ٘حد للّٰہ
مزید کی کوشش کرنی ہے
Yes
Beshak
the data for TN is incorrect there are 7 Muslim MLAs, represented to this assembly
the missing one in your report are as below
SM Nasar – Avadi – DMK
KM Masthan – Gingee – DMK
(a) For calculation of wajib Muslim representation we should take national average percentage of Muslim population as per latest published figures (Census 2011: 14.2%).
(b) Alternatively, we can take the average of Muslim percentages in the five states that went to polls recently.
(c) Yes, in WB officially the M % is 27. But in recent elections Muslims got proportionately half representation. In any case, there were much higher stakes involved.
Were they given th tickets due to their religion or due to their strength in the respective parties.
Really very informative article
So now you know your Haisiat and Aukat.
Kallol Khan (serial no.35) is not muslim.He is elected from Nakashipara Assembly Constituency under Nadia district,state of West Bengal
Too ninna