Tag: SP-BSP-RLD Alliance In UP

Good To See SP-BSP tieup

Mainpuri Seat – ‘Good To See SP-BSP tieup’

By LokMarg Publishing

Sanjay, 24, member of Kanjar community in Mainpuri, has not been in the best of terms with the law and the locals, as his community carries the stigma of being a criminal tribe. Traditionally BSP supporters, Sanjay is happy that Mayawati has joined forces with Mulayam Singh in this Yadav stronghold.

Mainpuri has been a Yadav bastion for as long as elections were held here. The Yadav community rules the roost in this region. From top to bottom in administration and also among (Samajwadi) Party office bearers, their writ runs. Whether you need a job, or a government scheme favour, or even lodge a police complaint in the local Thana (station), one has to plead before their leaders.

Our community also votes for Neta ji (Mulayam Singh Yadav). We fully support Samajwadi Party. Yes there are some in our family, who support Behanji (Mayawati) because she has worked to get us some self-respect in society. During her rule in Uttar Pradesh – between 2007 and 2012 – many of us got pucca houses, some were able to buy and set up shops in the market with their savings. Otherwise, most caste Hindus do not have business dealings with us. I don’t know why, nor do I any longer bother. We are happy with our lives.

WATCH: SP-BSP Supporters Speak Up In Mainpuri Rally

I studied till Class VII then dropped out we needed more hands to work and livelihood. I am happy, we have our own house, and we get odd jobs to see us through. But during the time of notebandi (demonetization), we had to keep the hearth burning on borrowed ration. Those two-three months were horrible. There was no work for us. Even when we got work the wages were not paid. Everybody was cursing (Narendra) Modi here. Things are better now.

It has been a great relief that Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav have joined hands. Many Yadav leaders suspect us to be BSP supporters and refuse to help us. With the gathbandhan (SP-BSP alliance), there is no reason for (Samajwadi) Party leaders to look at us with suspicion. We just hope this alliance survive. Rest, time will tell.

We'll Vote To Defeat BJP

Rally Report – ‘We'll Vote To Defeat BJP’

By LokMarg Publishing

Although Mohammad Israr, 49, attended the Congress rally at Saharanpur on April 8, he calls himself an observer than a party supporter. He believes Muslims must see which way the wind is blowing and vote tactically to defeat the communal forces. And he has valid reasons to back his belief:

I am just an observer to this rally (Congress public meeting on April 8) since I happened to be in the vicinity. I can judge the support of Muslim community to Imran Masood. He is a very popular leader in the community because of his fierce comments against (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. Mazloomo ki aawaz hain (he is the voice of the oppressed).

In my opinion, Imran sahib is likely to win, even though the joint candidate from the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj is also Hazi (Fazulrahman) sahib. A day or two before, there was gathbandhan (the SP-BSP alliance) rally which was also attended by many Muslim voters. And I was worried a little that two Muslim candidates would mean division of votes. The Muslim voter must not allow its voter strength to be wasted. Taqseem nahi hona hai, taqseem karne waali taaqaton ko harana hai (we must not get divided; instead we have to defeat the divisive forces).

Community leaders must guide the votes not to get carried away by punchy slogans and promises made in a rally. Once the results come, these leaders will forget what they had promised before the public. Similarly, a voter or a quom (community) also has to keep its self-interest in mind. BJP rule in the last five years have instilled a feeling of fear among the minority community.

Never before were so many cases of cow vigilante had come. Muslims and many low-caste Hindu brothers lost their jobs after a crackdown on abattoirs in Uttar Pradesh. There were so many incidents of lynching on false pretext. Such incidents send a wrong signal to the minority community. We get worried when our children travel to other states on their own.

Even in Vajpayee ki sarakar and Kalyan Singh ki sarkar, this fear never visited our minds. But the last five years have been traumatic. And with Yogi sarkar in UP now, things have only got worse. You should see the bike rallies by men wearing saffron headgears. They deliberately shout slogans whenever a mosque comes en route. Their sole purpose is to humiliate Muslims. Ask anyone. This is a universal feeling and a regular point of discussion in our community.

I understand Muslims are used as votebanks. But do we have any other option than not to unitedly help a candidate who would listen to us, help us in getting our police complaints registered, give us protection or at least a sense of protection. Self-interest is back in the game. That is why you are not hearing the slogan sabka saath, sabka vikas this year. Are you?

(Name of the narrator was changed and his face blurred on request)