Farmers Movement Archive

No SP-RLD ticket for Muslims in Muzaffarnagar upsets community

Muzaffarnagar: There are murmers of discontent regarding the SP-RLD's ticket distribution within sections of the Muslim community in communally sensitive Muzaffarnagar. While the region in UP has about 38% Muslim voters spread across six constituencies in the district, surprisingly the alliance has not fielded a single Muslim so far. It has declared candidates on five seats, all of them Hindus. Now all eyes are fixed on the lone city seat, and sources claim that this too might see a Hindu candidate "to avoid polarization”. This doesn't seem to have gone down well with some members of the community, who said "this is happening despite the fact that, in the last two years, RLD leaders have been promoting ‘bhaichara (brotherhood)’ committees, and speeches during anti-farm law agitation appealed for Jat-Muslim unity". Prominent Muslim leaders such as Qadir Rana, Mursaleen Rana, Liyakat Ali, among others who wanted to contest the elections now feel "neglected and disowned". A former SP leader and former MP, Amir Alam, said, “It is not about whether Muslim politicians will get to fight the election in Muzaffarnagar or not, what matters most is how to defeat communal forces.” Local politician Faisal Saifi said, “The decision not to give tickets to Muslim leaders will result in a huge loss for SP. Muslim candidates from AIMIM and BSP might gain.” But there were voices that differed. Ayoung Muslim activist, Javed Abbas, said, “The initiative by SP will avoid polarisation. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has taken the right decision of not giving tickets to Muslims. Moreover, several Muslim leaders who had sought SP tickets are accused in riots cases.” Senior SP leader Sudheer Panwar said, “Samajwadi Party never distributes tickets on the basis of religion. We never do Hindu-Muslim politics. Enough tickets have been given to Muslims across Uttar Pradesh.” RLD’s west UP's spokesperson Abhishek Chaudhry said, “The two districts of Shamli and Muzaffarnagar are considered as one, and RLD has nominated two Muslim candidates in Shamli. Those who are saying that we have not given tickets to Muslims are wrong.” Opposition leaders were quick to criticise the development. Ziaur Rahman, asaid, “SP claims it has a soft corner for Muslims, but when it came to electoral representation, not even a single seat was given to Muslims,” BSP has announced Muslim candidates in two seats in Muzaffarnagar district so far. AIMIM is also thinking of offering tickets to Muslim politicians. Muzaffarnagar witnessed one of the worst communal riots in recent history in 2013, leaving over 50 dead and 50,000 displaced. The riots also led to a Hindu-Muslim divide in later years that farmer leaders tried to bridge during the recent anti-farm laws agitation in order to put up a united front.

The Times of India

2022-01-17

Meerut