Sareshwala, an Ahmedabad-based industrialist who recently accompanied the PM on his UAE tour, would be beginning his campaign from Modi's constituency Varanasi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is launching a soft offensive to cosy up to the Muslim electorate in Uttar Pradesh in preparation for the 2017 state Assembly election. However, he would not be conducting this crucial and rather delicate campaign himself. The task would be accomplished by his close aide Zafar Sareshwala, who bats for Modi with the clearly defined target of endearing him to Muslims for whom the BJP has been anathema.
Sareshwala, an Ahmedabad-based industrialist who recently accompanied the PM on his UAE tour, would be beginning his campaign from Modi's constituency Varanasi. Sources say he would be conducting about two dozen workshops across the state to "empower" the members of the Muslim community. The workshops would continue till the 2017 election, and would focus on the Muslim youths, sources close to Sareshwala revealed.
Chancellor of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, Sareshwala held a "trial seminar" as a sounding board in Bareilly on July 26. Over 1,000 people from the community, including 250 women, attended the seminar, giving him ample idea that he was on the right track. He has since been flooded with requests from community members to organise such seminars in their cities.
The workshops labeled 'Talim Ki Taqat' (power of education) addresses one of the weakest points among the Muslim populace. This name was given by famous Bollywood scriptwriter Salim Khan who is part of the programme.
"Muslims cannot just sit in their homes believing that since it is the BJP government, nothing will be done for their community. Modi will not bare his chest to show what all schemes he has launched for the Muslims. We have to take the initiative and trust the Central government," Sareshwala said in an appeal being circulated among the minorities.
Eminent personalities, including chairmen of public sector banks, retired bureaucrats, educationists and even central ministers would reportedly be attending these seminars. Sources said UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was also being invited to one of the workshops. Sareshwala has already conducted a similar campaign in Maharashtra, with the objective of "changing the mindset of the community by making them aware of the works done by Modi for their betterment", said a Gujarat BJP leader involved in organising the campaign.
"It is education that makes a person able to judge who they should vote for. They would be able to analyse which party would work for the country if voted to power. We will discuss even contentious issues like Ram temple-Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Uniform Civil Code and reservation to the youths with an open mind," Sareshwala said in a recent statement. He also defended being close to Modi. "There is nothing wrong in being close to Modi and making people aware of his real ideology. We need not bother about who is a Muslim or Hindu supporter. We need to see who is a nationalist and then decide on which side we stand," he said.
"My whole idea is to spread the light of knowledge to help the community in analysing everything rationally and then acting logically," he added.
Although he has held 12 conferences in several districts of west UP, including Aligarh and Bareilly, he would now focus on the universities. Earlier, Sareshwala had tried to enlist the support of top clerics and members of the AIMPLB for his campaign but failed.
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