Help us to help you, Muslim bodies tell saffron alliance

Don't take the Muslim vote for granted! That was the message a dozen Muslim organisations and NGOs working across the state, who came together in Mumbai on Tuesday, sent to the Congress-NCP alliance. And this motley group is not opposed to voting for the development agenda of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance if there is something in it for the minorities.

Muslims constitute about 11% of Maharashtra's population and have been the core constituency of the Congress since Independence.

The decision to consider supporting saffron parties was taken after an open discussion attended by over 160 leaders and activists like Firoze Mithiborwala, Maulana Athar, Maulana Mustaqeem and Salim Alware from across the state. It was also attended by representatives of organisations like All India Milli Association, All India Muslim OBC Organisation, Association of Muslim Professors, Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind (Arshad Madani), Kokan Vikas Manch and other NGOs.

A core-commitee under the chairmanship of Shabbir Ansari is likely to meet Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis soon along with the manifesto of the community.

Shabbir Ansari, convenor, core-committee, and president, All India Muslim OBC Organization, told dna: "Congress-NCP has been cheating the community since the past 15 years. We have realised that the secularism card has not helped the community at large. We can give BJP-Sena a chance even if they don't field Muslim candidates. Most saffron leaders are secular. A final call to support them would be taken after meeting with BJP and Shiv Sena chiefs."

MA Khalid, general secretary, All India Milli Council, alleged that the home department had cheated Muslims the most by not revoking the terror charges against innocent Muslims. Moreover, despite various promises, this government had offered the minority development department and Maulana Azad Financial Corporation peanuts."

Encroachment on Waqf Board land and non-establishment of Aligarh Muslim University Campus are among other grievances of these organisations.

"It's the poor who are affected the most if a government fails to deliver. They are angry with the Congress," said Khalid.

Many Muslim intellectual however feel there is no alternative to Congress-NCP for the Muslims to turn to. Fareed Khan, president, Muslim Professors Association, admitted as much when he said: "Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, JDU, RJD, AAP have offered good third alternative to the people in UP, Bihar and Delhi. But Maharashtra has no such alternative front."

Attempts at forming such a Muslim pressure group earlier have not succeeded because of lack of leadership and also because at the ground level, Muslims have always tended to vote for the winnable secular alliance despite clarion calls issued in the name of various organisations.

Opportunism
Political commentator Surendra Jondhale, said: "These organisations have limited influence among people, so their move is not going to have any major impact. The sudden shift in ideology appears to be political opportunism. They should rather mobilize the community towards democratic and secular ideology if they really care for them."