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Gujarat Elections 2017 | BJP campaigns seek to mobilise Muslim women voters

Shehnaz Shaikh, General Body Behrampura ward Mahamantri, who has been working with the BJP for 15 years, has been instrumental in reaching out to several areas this election.

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Shehnaz Shaikh speaking to Muslim women in Behrampura
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In an attempt to make the Muslim women living in slum pockets aware of 'vikas', the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has initiated a door-to-door campaign. THeir aim is to convince them to vote for the party. Interestingly, the campaign has been very strategically planned as the women BJP representatives have chosen afternoons for the same.

Shehnaz Shaikh, General Body Behrampura ward Mahamantri, who has been working with the BJP for 15 years, has been instrumental in reaching out to several areas this election.

"Women are free during afternoons as their husbands and children are out. Hence, we chose the afternoon to visit them. We spend around 20 minutes to an hour with them, depending on the issues and understanding capacity of the women. These are mostly uneducated women hence it is very important for us to reach out to them, explain about the work being done by BJP and eventually convince them to vote independently without being under any pressure."

Shehnaz, along with another 4 women, has covered households such as Calico Tekra, Nandas ki chaali, Bombay Hotel, Jamalpur, Khodiyanagar no Tekro, Behrampura, etc. During the visit, the team talks about 'Vikas' in their area.

Water was a major issue for most of the women in Behrampura. Another lady who stitches clothes at home, Mehrnaz Devda said, "Water was a big issue in our area but thankfully now the problem has been resolved. Even our basti did not have a path with stones. It was a kaccha rasta, but now a stone path has been laid. However, the area still lacks a good school. There are so many children but we are forced to send our kids to a nearby school run by AMC. The education is not good there. So we immediately need a good school and recreational space for kids."

Rehanna Shaikh, who lives in a basti in Behrampura said, "We did not have a gas pipeline until now. Now, we have recently got the connection. Women feel safe, I do not know if it is the fear of cops or in general fear." Nearly 500 Muslims, including women, had recently joined the BJP at a function organised by Jamalpur-Khadia MLA Bhushan Bhatt in Danilimda. Cleanliness was something that impressed Faheeda Pathan, a housewife and resident of Behrampura. She said, "Behrampura was one of the dirtiest areas. The dustbins were never cleaned for days. Now, we can see the change. The only thing that is needed is more big leaders."

Elaborating more on the campaign, Mohammad Farooq Qureshi, President, BJP Laghumati Morcha said, "We are targeting the Muslim women and making a group of five to convince furthermore to vote for BJP."

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