Muslim Congress leaders are nervous because their political future is likely to be finished with AIMIM coming in Gujarat
By Abdul hafiz lakhani Ahmedabad
Close on the heels of recent report in Gujarat’s media that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi is likely to storm in Gujarat in couple months and will fight local elections which are slated in 2020. The development has sent Muslim Congress leaders in a tizzy.
The most important development in recent Loksabha election is the victory of Imtiaz Jaleel, the All India Majlis-e-Itthadul Muslimeen candidate in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. For the first time since its inception, the AIMIM have two MPs in Parliament. So far the party was restricted to its bastion Hyderabad that it has won continuously since 1984.
Moreover, AIMIM, which initially operated in Hyderabad only, expanded itself in Maharashtra in the last assembly elections and managed to win two seats. It also won several seats in municipal polls in Nanded and other towns bordering Telangana. In Last Loksabha election.
Ahmedabad based Gujarati Fortnightly Gujarat siyasat in its 16th August,219 issue wrote that state Muslims are feeling marginalized and tale of exclusion. After they were systematically marginalised since the 2002 communal riots, Muslims have become apathetic and cynical even by Congress. Muslims do not figure in election speeches of Congress in 2017 Assembly election and 2019 General election. Issues that worry and bother them like marginalisation and communalisation of politics are not discussed in poll campaigns. Muslim of Gujarat did not even try to politically mobilise. Or act as a pressure group. If they attended BJP rallies or even voted for the saffron party, it was because they did not want to be seen as radical or communal. Or anti-Hindu.
Zuber Gopalani, educationist, entrepreneur and Congress supporter from Gujarat, while talking SIYASAT.NET , said, “After losing 2014 election Congress made Antony Commission to look into the cause of its huge defeat? And, the report was that Congress is known as a party of non Hindus. Rahul Gandhi took a serious note of it. And, all these took a ugly turn avoiding minority publicly. We Muslims also felt that let Congress work and go close to Hindus. We kept very low profile in state elections even in Gujarat, Rahul and his team started ignoring Muslims. There were many NGOs and Muslim social leaders who are not even a member of Congress Party, but they still worked for Congress. Muslims are marginalised not only in national politics but even in Congress Party. Why Minority cell chief is not invited as a special invitee in CWC. Even at state and taluka level minority leaders are not included in screening committees. In minority dominated areas non minority leaders are appointed at Zilla and Taluka panchayat, positions in municipal corporation is given to non minority leaders in spite of seniority and deserving under merit. In the state, Muslims are not given proper representation in organisation. If Congress does not want us, we are clear we don’t want them.
