GUWAHATI: A section of maulanas of Assam have given a clarion call to Muslims in the state to vote decisively in favour of BJP and its allies, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), in the third and final phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state on May 7.
They made the appeal on Sunday under the aegis of Jamaat Ulama-E Hind (Sohaib Kasimi faction), which has branches in 13 districts, including those which come under the four constituencies where elections are due.
Ataur Rahman Kasimi, state president of Jamaat Ulama-E Hind, appealed to voters to defeat AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal in Dhubri, accusing him of doing politics on religion. “It’s time to openly vote for BJP and its allies. Muslims of Assam should realise that Ajmal can never be a part of the govt. He is not with BJP or Congress. Narendra Modi is going to form govt at the Centre again, so Muslims should not waste their votes,” Kasimi said.
Accusing Congress of using Muslims only as a vote bank over the years, he said, “There has been no discrimination against Muslims so far as selecting beneficiaries for Orunodoi, PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi or Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana under the BJP-led govt.”
“In Bodoland Territorial Region, Muslim votes got divided between AIUDF, Hagrama’s BPF earlier. But this time UPPL will get Muslim votes for its generosity towards Muslims. Lands have been allotted to Muslim landless families in BTR, while madrassas and masjids were also given lands under UPPL rule in BTR,” Kasimi said.
“The Congress has not solved the basic problems of food, clothing and shelter, let alone the security of life and property of this community which had been in the grip of poverty during 60 years of its rule,” he added.
Calling CM Himanta Biswa Sarma the greatest of all times, Kasimi said, “He (Himanta) is leading Assam on the path of development and progress. The Muslims of Assam are with him. The Ulama community has resolved to move forward with a cooperative attitude.”
Among the four remaining poll-bound seats spread across lower Assam, BJP has put up Bijuli Kalita Medhi as its candidate from Guwahati, whereas in Dhubri and Barpeta, AGP has fielded Zabed Islam and Phani Bhusan Choudhury. In Kokrajhar, Joyanta Basumatary of the UPPL is in the fray.
In Dhubri, an estimated 85% voters are Muslims, whereas the corresponding figures in Kokrajhar, Barpeta and Guwahati LS seats are about 26%, 34% and 13% respectively.
The members of Jamaat Ulama-E Hind are involved in social and educational work. It has a presence in areas having a concentration of Bengali-speaking Muslims who came from undivided Bengal and later from East Pakistan.
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