Muslim voting strength for their own political choices, has shown a big confidant streak in the recent Assembly elections. Besides the expected reactions from both so-called secular political parties, there is a sense of alarm even in the ranks of so called Progressive/Liberal/Secular Democrat Muslims. They would not like Muslims to enjoy the freedom of choice and would like Muslim voters to remain in bondage to other political parties. However, it is apparent that the changes in the confidence of the Muslim voters is deeply entrenched in grass-root consensus and is not affected by media's scare tactics.
A clear trend is visible in Muslim political initiatives, that they have been opening up their doors to non-Muslims from the very outset of their operations. There is no such restrictive exclusivity that characterizes Hindutva and/or Brahmin political parties, who are duty bound to ostracize Muslims and they feel no qualms about such discrimination. Muslim political parties are more open and welcoming to a wide array of communities, both as candidates as well as voters.
In Assam, Muslim candidates winning seats have distinct credential of being non-corrupt and non-criminals. That is not the criteria that is adhered to by Congress, BJP, Communists and other regional parties. Those progressive Muslims who are critical of Muslims candidates fielded by Muslim-led political parties, should at least acknowledge that new Muslim faces are clean and untainted by the prevailing malaise of corruption. They should be the harbingers of a new moral force in Indian politics.
Ghulam Muhammed, Mumbai
-----------------------------------------
http://arabnews.com/world/
A clear trend is visible in Muslim political initiatives, that they have been opening up their doors to non-Muslims from the very outset of their operations. There is no such restrictive exclusivity that characterizes Hindutva and/or Brahmin political parties, who are duty bound to ostracize Muslims and they feel no qualms about such discrimination. Muslim political parties are more open and welcoming to a wide array of communities, both as candidates as well as voters.
In Assam, Muslim candidates winning seats have distinct credential of being non-corrupt and non-criminals. That is not the criteria that is adhered to by Congress, BJP, Communists and other regional parties. Those progressive Muslims who are critical of Muslims candidates fielded by Muslim-led political parties, should at least acknowledge that new Muslim faces are clean and untainted by the prevailing malaise of corruption. They should be the harbingers of a new moral force in Indian politics.
Ghulam Muhammed, Mumbai
-----------------------------------------
http://arabnews.com/world/
Mamatas and Ajmals are the fresh hope of India
By M. BURHANUDDIN QASMI
Published: May 18, 2011 21:56 Updated: May 18, 2011 21:56
It is good that there is change in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Mamata Banerjee and Jayalalithaa have rooted out the nonperforming communist and the most corrupt DMK-Congress alliance from their states.
Importantly, out of 294 assembly seats Muslims won a significant 59 in West Bengal. In the outgoing West Bengal assembly Muslims had only 46 seats. This is 20 percent representation in the house where Muslims have 25 percent share in the state population. TMC has 25 Muslim MLAs and Congress has 15, the remaining 19 are from the Left Front.
Thanks to the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) impressive win of 18 candidates, including 2 non-Muslims and one woman, Assam has also sent a high figure of 28 Muslims this time; in 2006 they had only 25 in a 126-member house. Muslim representation in the legislative assembly reached 22 percent this time when they are 31 percent of the total population. The Muslim figure breakup shows16 are from AIUDF, 8 from Congress, one from Assam Gana Parishad (AGP) and one independent.
Similarly Kerala has also improved Muslim representation in this assembly election from 25 in 2006 to 36. This is 26 percent of the 140-member house, interestingly one percent more than their population share in the state of Kerala. Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has alone sent 20 MLAs to the house.
It would be interesting to see how they are actually going to perform in the next five years. The Muslims are most backward in West Bengal and Assam. And hold on, numerical superiority is no guarantee of actual performance and sometimes a lesser number even performs better.
A political analyst from the United States of America applauded the success of Maulana Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF in Assam. He observes, “this is the way to go for Muslims in Indian politics. Form a secular party, control it and include non-Muslims in it. I hope Muslims in other states especially UP follow this example.”
Indeed Ajmal not just deserves congratulations and compliments for this stupendous feat, at a tough time when his own — Arshad Jamiat had deserted him owing to Congress manipulation, but also for showing the way forward to Muslims in rest of the country.
An interesting fact is this, that most of the successful candidates in the AIUDF list are not regular, run-of-the-mill politicians but real representatives of the community. At least four ulema — three of them huffaz, three Qasmis and one mufti, are to be found in this list. This shows that you do not have to give up on your values and community's interests to succeed in politics.
One of my friends puts it simply: “This is the most significant electoral achievement for the community since independence. Muslim organizations, leaders and intellectuals must come together to build on this. Right lessons must be drawn from the remarkable success we have registered in Assam, West Bengal and Kerala.”
Muslims are worst off in West Bengal as compared to other states of India, and even Gujarat fared better. The percentage of Muslims is very low in government jobs and the ever-increasing ‘poverty’ among them too is visible to the sympathetic eye. Albeit credit must be given for the absence of communal riots but it is an open secret that violence is a part of Bengali life. All this upset the chances of the ‘secular’ Left, who never tired of singing the Muslim song only in its 34-year-long tenure in the state but the Muslims along with general voters have got an alternative to try their luck — they pushed the EVMs smartly this time and showed the Left its way out.
Remarkably Mamata Banerjee, a postgraduate in Islamic History from University of Calcutta, is a true made in India product — self made. She is not the daughter, sister or wife of a famous politician. She is today where she is all on her own merit. This feisty woman is a good example of true feminism, for her no crisp cotton saris, a la Sonia style and without any trace of make up on her transparent face. Even her worst detractors are now saying that, we will follow Mamata's style of protest!
On the other side — Ajmal, a simple graduate from Darul Uloom Deoband, besides being a son of a rich man — Haji Ajmal Ali, has no political patrimony to inherit. His assets are his undying labor and being with the people in need, even when he has not dreamt about knocking the door that opens to politics. His advantage is his strong faith; he is a silent fighter against all odds.
India needs more such Mamatas and Ajmals… to remain away from the self-proclaimed protectors of minorities such as the Congress, which stabs them in the back time and again. Mamata and Ajmal are refreshing breath of hope for the common Indian as well as the ‘deprived’ Muslims. They need to perform well to keep the light of hope burning and alive.
— M. Burhanuddin Qasmi is editor Eastern Crescent and director of Mumbai-based Markazul Ma'arif Education and Research Centre. He can be contacted at manager@markazulmaarif.org
Published: May 18, 2011 21:56 Updated: May 18, 2011 21:56
It is good that there is change in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Mamata Banerjee and Jayalalithaa have rooted out the nonperforming communist and the most corrupt DMK-Congress alliance from their states.
Importantly, out of 294 assembly seats Muslims won a significant 59 in West Bengal. In the outgoing West Bengal assembly Muslims had only 46 seats. This is 20 percent representation in the house where Muslims have 25 percent share in the state population. TMC has 25 Muslim MLAs and Congress has 15, the remaining 19 are from the Left Front.
Thanks to the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) impressive win of 18 candidates, including 2 non-Muslims and one woman, Assam has also sent a high figure of 28 Muslims this time; in 2006 they had only 25 in a 126-member house. Muslim representation in the legislative assembly reached 22 percent this time when they are 31 percent of the total population. The Muslim figure breakup shows16 are from AIUDF, 8 from Congress, one from Assam Gana Parishad (AGP) and one independent.
Similarly Kerala has also improved Muslim representation in this assembly election from 25 in 2006 to 36. This is 26 percent of the 140-member house, interestingly one percent more than their population share in the state of Kerala. Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has alone sent 20 MLAs to the house.
It would be interesting to see how they are actually going to perform in the next five years. The Muslims are most backward in West Bengal and Assam. And hold on, numerical superiority is no guarantee of actual performance and sometimes a lesser number even performs better.
A political analyst from the United States of America applauded the success of Maulana Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF in Assam. He observes, “this is the way to go for Muslims in Indian politics. Form a secular party, control it and include non-Muslims in it. I hope Muslims in other states especially UP follow this example.”
Indeed Ajmal not just deserves congratulations and compliments for this stupendous feat, at a tough time when his own — Arshad Jamiat had deserted him owing to Congress manipulation, but also for showing the way forward to Muslims in rest of the country.
An interesting fact is this, that most of the successful candidates in the AIUDF list are not regular, run-of-the-mill politicians but real representatives of the community. At least four ulema — three of them huffaz, three Qasmis and one mufti, are to be found in this list. This shows that you do not have to give up on your values and community's interests to succeed in politics.
One of my friends puts it simply: “This is the most significant electoral achievement for the community since independence. Muslim organizations, leaders and intellectuals must come together to build on this. Right lessons must be drawn from the remarkable success we have registered in Assam, West Bengal and Kerala.”
Muslims are worst off in West Bengal as compared to other states of India, and even Gujarat fared better. The percentage of Muslims is very low in government jobs and the ever-increasing ‘poverty’ among them too is visible to the sympathetic eye. Albeit credit must be given for the absence of communal riots but it is an open secret that violence is a part of Bengali life. All this upset the chances of the ‘secular’ Left, who never tired of singing the Muslim song only in its 34-year-long tenure in the state but the Muslims along with general voters have got an alternative to try their luck — they pushed the EVMs smartly this time and showed the Left its way out.
Remarkably Mamata Banerjee, a postgraduate in Islamic History from University of Calcutta, is a true made in India product — self made. She is not the daughter, sister or wife of a famous politician. She is today where she is all on her own merit. This feisty woman is a good example of true feminism, for her no crisp cotton saris, a la Sonia style and without any trace of make up on her transparent face. Even her worst detractors are now saying that, we will follow Mamata's style of protest!
On the other side — Ajmal, a simple graduate from Darul Uloom Deoband, besides being a son of a rich man — Haji Ajmal Ali, has no political patrimony to inherit. His assets are his undying labor and being with the people in need, even when he has not dreamt about knocking the door that opens to politics. His advantage is his strong faith; he is a silent fighter against all odds.
India needs more such Mamatas and Ajmals… to remain away from the self-proclaimed protectors of minorities such as the Congress, which stabs them in the back time and again. Mamata and Ajmal are refreshing breath of hope for the common Indian as well as the ‘deprived’ Muslims. They need to perform well to keep the light of hope burning and alive.
— M. Burhanuddin Qasmi is editor Eastern Crescent and director of Mumbai-based Markazul Ma'arif Education and Research Centre. He can be contacted at manager@markazulmaarif.org
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