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Muslims in Rampur query the purpose of voting for an opposition candidate in Rampur because the MLA, MP, chief minister in addition to PM Modi are from BJP. (News18)
News18 travelled by way of the area to seek out that whereas most Muslims root for the SP-Congress alliance and a few for the BSP, a bit of Muslim voters is veering in the direction of BJP citing advantages of presidency schemes and improved regulation and order state of affairs
In a hair-dresser’s store in Deoband, a gaggle of Muslims are divided between voting for the Samajwadi Occasion-Congress candidate and the BSP. One in all them, nevertheless, surprises us by saying that he’ll vote for the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Sab badhiya chal raha hai…shanti hai, kaam theek chal raha hai (All is properly and peaceable in BJP rule),” the person informed News18, when pressed on why he would vote for Modi. One other Muslim man sitting subsequent to him interjected, saying {that a} “few of our brothers” might vote for BJP as they have advantages of schemes however the majority of Muslims wouldn’t.
Each the Ganga and the Yamuna stream by way of Western Uttar Pradesh and other people right here say that the area is thought for its ‘Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb’ (communal concord). The area has a decisive variety of Muslim voters in lots of Lok Sabha seats like Kairana, Muzzafarnagar, Saharanpur, Rampur and Moradabad, which all are polling in Section 1 on April 19.
News18 travelled by way of West UP final week to seek out that whereas most Muslims root for the SP-Congress alliance and a few for the BSP, there’s a part of Muslim voters slowly veering in the direction of the BJP too. A few of the final lot cited the advantages of presidency schemes, and improved regulation and order state of affairs, and some even requested what’s the level of being against BJP which is in energy each in Lucknow and Delhi.
A gaggle of individuals enjoying a sport of playing cards in Saharanpur city informed News18 that some Muslims might vote for BJP as they’ve seen improvement. “Their mohallah (neighbourhood) now has a greater street than mine. Why received’t they vote for the BJP?” this group, all Hindus, requested. A gaggle of Muslims in a village of Saharanpur attended Congress candidate Imran Masood’s rally however admitted that a number of Muslims amongst them too might vote for the BJP. “Some really feel they have advantages of schemes of Modi authorities…” one in every of them mentioned.
News18 drove to Rampur the place Shafeek Ahmed Ansari is the MLA from Suar meeting seat — the one Muslim MLA within the NDA camp in Uttar Pradesh. A gaggle of Muslims are at his workplace to fulfill the BJP’s Rampur MP and candidate Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi and take selfies with him. “BJP has introduced authorities schemes to everybody with none bias. I received Ujjwala and ingesting water connections with out a lot working round. Whoever provides advantages, folks vote for them,” two Muslim buddies in Suar informed News18.
One other Muslim man right here asks what’s the level of voting for an opposition candidate in a seat like Rampur. “Our Suar MLA is from BJP. Our MP from Rampur is from the BJP. The federal government in Lucknow and Delhi is of BJP. Then, who will carry improvement to Rampur or Suar? One can’t flip a blind eye,” one other Muslim man in Rampur requested. In Moradabad, News18 noticed some Muslims at each the rallies of House Minister Amit Shah and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
“Some Muslim girls are additionally leaning in the direction of the BJP…they recognize the Triple Talaq ban introduced a number of years in the past,” a Muslim man at Shah’s rally informed News18. He cited how the BJP was in energy in two of the 5 meeting seats in Moradabad, a primary in historical past. “That isn’t potential with out some Muslim help,” the person on the rally mentioned. News18, nevertheless, discovered that many Muslims weren’t keen to specific their political choice earlier than media cameras and pleaded to be excused, saying they didn’t want to communicate on the polls.
A younger Muslim woman having a meal at KFC along with her household in the primary market of Moradabad mentioned issues have been safer for girls within the area now after the BJP got here to energy. “I simply hope they spend extra on schooling and well being services in Western UP. I’m an MBBS scholar and have seen the situation of hospitals. However I’ve no criticism with the BJP on the problem of security…there’s a marked change,” she informed News18.
In Muzzafarnagar, a large variety of Muslims have been current at BJP candidate Sanjeev Balyan’s nomination rally. “Look, they have been asking me if Muslims will help me,” Balyan informed a gaggle of Muslim individuals whereas pointing to the News18 staff. These folks in flip informed us that that they had voted for Balyan within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections too as there was now peace within the area for the final 10 years. “The injuries of the 2013 communal riots have now healed for everybody,” says Balyan.
Just a few Muslims blame the BSP for his or her disillusionment and can most likely transfer to the BJP. “Muslims immediately are distressed as a result of BSP has stopped performing its political position for us. Why has Mayawati put up so many Muslim candidates and damaged her alliance with the SP? Some Muslims might properly vote for the BJP as they really feel it should anyway win as a result of division of votes,” an aged Muslim man in a Deoband market mentioned.
Such anecdotal narrations appear to be turning across the concept on its head that Muslims at all times vote for the stronger opposition get together which may defeat the BJP. Whereas most Muslims should still vote for one of many opposition events in Western UP, some appear to be leaning in the direction of the BJP too. This will consolidate positive factors for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
