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Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018: Stealing thunder from Muslim-vote hopefuls

Annual Ijtema is one of the largest religious gatherings in world

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Preparations underway for the annual Tablighi Ijtema which begins on Nov 23
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Coming in the midst of a hard-fought election campaign, the Tablighi Ijtema seems all set to steal the thunder from candidates canvassing for Muslim votes in Bhopal.

The annual Ijtema, or congregation, of the Tablighi Jamaat — one of the largest religious gatherings in the world — commences on the margins of the city on November 23 and its conclusion coincides with the end of campaigning in Madhya Pradesh on November 26.

Preparations for the event, attracting lakhs of Jamaat followers from across the world, have been underway at village Eintkhedi for months now.

A late night visit, to the venue, brings one face-to-face with volunteers sitting around a fire and discussing politics. Quizzed on the impact of the Ijtema on the elections, they stress that the Jamaat is a strictly non-political missionary movement which motivates Muslims to be more observant.

They say the event is a matter of pride and presents them with an opportunity to partake in khidmat-e-khalq or service to humanity.

"Thousands of volunteers from the city manage the development of infrastructure, logistics, and other facilities for the success of the event," says Aslam Khan. Underplaying the impact of the Ijtema on the elections, he says the congregation this year will be the largest in recent times.

In the absence of any official attendance figures, a group of young men on the other side of the makeshift Ijtemagah venue pegs the number at anywhere between 10-25 lakhs. The numbers one hears at a roadside eatery in the Kaziq Camp area of the city are claimed to be closer to 50 lakhs.

Jamaat follower Yousuf Khalil is more forthcoming, "Let me start by accepting that the Ijtema will not only impact campaigning but will also cause a drop in the Muslim voting average, as 80-90 per cent of the male Muslim population participates in the congregation."

"The impact was considered by Jamaat elders, but rescheduling wasn't possible as the Bhopal Ijtema is the first in a series of such congregations," says Khalil, an Unani physician and member of the Central Council for Indian Medicine, New Delhi.

"Tea shop owner, Mohammad Shabbir, is all compliments for Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. "He visits the Ijtema venue every year to oversee preparations and extends all administrative support to the event."

"Unfortunately, the same can't be said for leaders from the community," he rues.

PRAISE FOR CHOUHAN

  • Tea shop owner Mohammad Shabbir, is all compliments for MP Chief Minister Chouhan. 
     
  • “He visits Ijtema venue every year to oversee preparations and extends all support to the event,” he says.
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