Time for a new, articulate Muslim leadership to appear: Lack of leaders in Lucknow is a cause of concern

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

While there is considerable interest regarding politics in the society, the lack of initiative towards entering political arena, is intriguing.

This article deals with the issue of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. Already, the community is facing a serious issue of poor representation in political sphere. Major parties are not giving tickets to Muslim candidates, as they feel polarization will affect their chance of victory.

Every community needs a voice and its members must reach echelons of power--at all the three levels viz. civic body, state legislature and houses of parliament. Besides, there is also social, intellectual leadership that is needed, apart from electoral politics.

What is surprising is that we don't have more people emerging as leaders in our centres. Cities like Lucknow need leaders, voices. It takes sometime before a person gets recognized in the society. This is through sustained efforts, speaking up, learning how to 'emerge' as leader in a society. 

Sometimes, a person who was never even a legislator or councillor, is seen as an important person or a leader of the region, because he has a forum or speaks up on important issues. On the other hand, there are people who win and have held public offices for several terms, but are not recalled or considered 'leader'.

It's about vision, taking initiative and several other factors. Basically, how you present yourself, how you engage with your regional media. There are certain tricks of the trade too. We need leadership that talks about real issues and also gives hope to community. 

Firstly, let's talk about a leader who got elected as MLA from one of the constituencies of the city, after a long time. It's rare for a Muslim to get elected from Lucknow, because of the manner in which delimitation of constituencies took place.

The person got ticket, he won, he was highly educated, had party chief and the cadre's support, yet he  remained silent for whole tenure. Even after loss in the next polls, could have raised issues as 'ex-MLA', because person is known, established as a leader.

Surprisingly, one never heard his statements, support to people when it was needed or any intervention, let alone positive work that could have changed perceptions or helped people in his constituency. Isn't it weird? Why does a person get into politics.

At least for sake of furthering own career or strengthening your image, you should speak an act. But you remain totally inert, then how does it help you or the electorate and the community. Capital's MLA has power, can speak on state issues, raise them, present self as face of community in state. 

Gets more media exposure, has opportunity to be known across state and country. But when someone wins, and remains inactive, then this issue. Rehan Naeem was MLA in the term 2012-2017. He lost in 2017. He lost in 2017. However, he failed to make any impact. Not party's fault. 

Earlier, it was in 1985 that a Muslim legislator had won from the seat, during the Rajiv Gandhi wave. Easy to dismiss others as 'old school, 'out of touch' but if modern, highly educated and well-connected person, fails to act, then it's really depressing. 

Not visible or taking up issues. Even as ex-MLA, leaders take delegations, hold demonstrations, meet Chief ministers and Governors, call press conferences, speak for people but when you don't do these basic things, who is responsible.

You are considered a leader when you speak up, when you are visible, you speak, stand with citizens. Now imagine, in a city where Muslim MLAs don't get elected easily due to certain factors, you get elected & yet no one thinks about you when talking of leadership in your own city.

This city has such a huge educated elite among Muslims, yet, so less engagement with politics. If you don't engage with politics, avoid social or political or any kind of leadership, and then rue that some non-serious person is seen as your representative, then what's the solution?

New generation must take up leadership role, come forward. If you've no proper leader and just those 3-4 religious faces representing you from the city that is seen as heart of Indian politics as well as Indian Muslim politics, then what can be more depressing!

There is need for not just 1-2 but 10-12 faces. Alas 0. Own failure. Accept. There is no death of people with political understanding. Every second person is an expect and has 'siyasi shaoor'. But if you can't even project yourself as leader or get into mainstream politics, then something is definitely wrong, seriously.

You've a population of nearly 1 million Muslims in  district now. But you have one sellout joker who is seen as representative. Two-three more Sunni, Shia personalities. Where is politician, where is leader?Join any party but get in politics, there's space, don't let the void remain. Take it as a profession or along side your main job, but get into active role.

Contest, lose, but at least be in politics, there should have been many leaders for such a big population, visible real netas in many parties What you do best is labelling or being minor party activists, fighting for one party and running down the 'other'.

There are people who never won LS or VS elections in their lives but are seen as big leaders. In fact, people generally don't even realise that the guy has never won a election. So, you are basically, not even able to present yourself as a neta. That's the saddest part of the story. One can't leave the field wide open.

READ: Indian Muslims need to seriously take up politics, reasons for failure in the field

Lowest number of Muslim MPs ever in Parliament: 22 or barely 4% in Lok Sabha, no Muslim elected from Uttar Pradesh (UP) in 2014 election

The results of the 2014 elections have brought out many surprises.

Apart from Narendra Modi-led BJP's landslide win and the crushing defeat of Congress, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has also been decimated.

As far as Muslim representation is concerned, just 22 Muslims have won in the election, which is be probably the lowest tally ever.

In fact, for the first time since Independence,it seems that there will be no Muslim MP from Uttar Pradesh (UP) in the Lok Sabha.

The state which has nearly 4 crore [40 million] Muslims has nearly 70 Muslims in the Assembly and routinely sent 6-8 members in the parliament. However, almost all the Muslim candidates of SP, BSP and Congress lost in the wave.

The BJP is leading in nearly 70 constituencies in the State. Veteran leaders like Shafiqurrahman Barq are also trailing. The counting is still on and there may be a slight change but the trends clearly show that it will be a house with lesser Muslim MPs, probably, just 3.85% in the lower house of the parliament. Generally, there have been 28 to 40 Muslims in Lok Sabha.

Muslims win from 11 political parties

Muslim candidates have from different parties including All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), CPM, Congress, RJD, NCP, LJP, AIMIM, AIUDF, PDP, IUML and AIADMK. No Muslim has won on BJP ticket. Also, none of JDU, NC or DMK's Muslim candidates could win.

Trends:


On the basis of trends, it can be safely said that seven Muslims may win from West Bengal, four from Bihar [including Tariq Anwar, Taslimuddin], two from Kerala [IUML], two from Assam, four from Jammu & Kashmir that include three PDP candidates and possibly one independent, one from AP, one from Tamil Nadu [AIADMK's Anwar Raja], Lakshadweep et al.

The figure would be 20 or 21, once the final results are out. Asaduddin Owaisi is leading from Hyderabad on MIM ticket while Congress has done so badly that in Lakshadweep too the Congress candidate has lost to NCP's Muslim candidate.

Final list of Muslim candidates winning the 2014 Lok Sabha election. The complete list of winners:

West Bengal (7*)

Idris Ali, AITC, from Basirhat
Sultan Ahmad, AITC, from Uluberia
Mohammad Salim, CPI (Marxist), from Raiganj
Badrudduja Khan, CPI (Marxist), from Murshidabad
Mausam Noor, Congress, from Malda North
Abu Hashem Khan Chaudhary, Congress from Malda South
Dr Mamtaz Sanghamita, AITC, from Burdwan-Durgapur

Bihar
Tasleemuddin, RJD, from Araria
Tariq Anwar, NCP, from Katihar
Chaudhary Mahboob Ali Qaisar, LJP, from Khagaria
Mohd Asrarul Haq Qasmi, Congress, from Kishanganj

Andhra Pradesh [now Telangana]
Asadudduin Owaisi, AIMIM, from Hyderabad

Assam
Sirajuddin Ajmal, AIUDF, from Barpeta
Badurddin Ajmal, AIUDF, from Dhubri

J and K
Mehbooba Mufti, PDP, from Anantnag
Muzaffar Husain Baig, PDP, from Baramulla
Tariq Hameed Karra, PDP, from Srinagar

Kerala
E Ahamed, IUML, from Malappuram
ET Mohammad Bashir, IUML, from Ponnani
MI Shanavas, Congress, from Wayanad

Tamil Nadu
Anwar Raja, AIADMK, from Ramanathapuram

Lakshadwip
Mohammad Faisal PP, NCP, from Lakshadweep

National Conference decimated too

National Conference hasn't won a single seat in J&K. It shows the people's disenchantment with Omar Abdullah's government. Even Farooq Abdullah lost the election. From Ghulam Nabi Azad to Salman Khurshid and Mohammad Azharuddin, many prominent Congress 'leaders' were defeated.

However, these are just statistics. Having more MPs, doesn't necessarily work at all for a community [see the links below]. Many of the Congress' Muslim MPs have been useless. In fact, so many of them never asked a single question in the Parliament during five years.

It's better to have non-Muslim candidates who are just and speak for the problems of all people, rather, than MPs who won just because of the qualification that they were Muslim.

*[Just for the record, an MP in West Bengal had recently had religious conversion. Aparupa Poddar alias Afrin Ali, AITC, from Arambagh. I have mentioned this fact solely because someone may find difference in the count]

For list of winners in each state and constituencies, you can check the ECI's website HERE

LINKS:

1. First Lok Sabha had 24 Muslims: Recalling the Muslim candidates who won in the first general election
2. Of our 'so-called Muslim' leaders: Salman Khurshid, Ahmad Patel and those thrust on us by Congress
3. Less Muslim MPs in Lok Sabha but no regret
4. Should there be Muslim ministers in union cabinet?

Constituency for minority candidates : Just 2.5% minority votes, yet Betul was once considered a safe seat for Muslims in Lok Sabha

(C) Indscribe

In certain states in India, especially, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Gujarat, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, it has become nearly impossible now for Muslims to win Lok Sabha election.

But for decades, Betul, a constituency in central India, that has barely 2.5% minorities elected candidates belonging to the minority communities.

In fact, it had been labelled as a minority seat. For decades, not just winners but opposition candidates here were also Muslims. The constituency came into existence in 1967.

In the first two elections, veteran Congress leader, late NKP Salve, a Christian, won from here on Congress ticket. After his victories in 1967 and 1971,  he lost the election from here in 1977. Subhash Ahuja who contested on Lok Dal ticket, had won that year.

In the year 1980, Congress strongman from Bhopal, Ghufran-e-Azam contested from Betul and got elected from here. He defeated Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) candidate Subhash Chand Ahuja by nearly 30,000 votes.

In the next election, in the year 1984, former Olympian [hockey player] Aslam Sher Khan won from this constituency. He fought on Congress ticket and defeated independent candidate MN Buch, a retired bureaucrat, by a margin of 37.950 votes.

Five years later, yet another famous Muslim leader Arif Beg [recalled for his 'mere mulk ke maaliko' address for the crowd in election rallies], contested from here. Beg was fielded by the BJP. It was the era of Ram Mandir movement.

Beg defeated Congress' Aslam Sher Khan by over 40,000 votes. But two years later, Aslam Sher Khan avenged his defeat. In 1991 election, Aslam Sher Khan, who fought on Congress ticket, defeated BJP's Arif Beg, by 22,733 votes.

In 1996, BJP gave ticket to Vijay Khandelwal, who defeated Aslam Sher Khan by a huge margin. It was post-1992 era, communal polarisation had begun in MP, and it was becoming nearly impossible for Muslims to win even in the Assembly elections.

Congress tried a minority candidate from here, just once, after this defeat. In 1999, it gave ticket to Ghufran Azam. he secured over 2 lakh votes (nearly 39%) but lost by a margin of 64,000 votes. Since t hen, neither BJP nor Congress fielded a minority candidate.

But the seat is an example o.f how minority candidates have won [and can win] from constituencies where they have very small concentration. This is really the beauty of Indian democracy. The overwhelming majority of Hindus voted for Muslims at this seat and helped launch the political career of the Muslim politicians.

In 32 years, there were ten elections here. Of the 20 candidates who won and lost here, 12 were from minority community. Often the winner and loser were both Muslim, despite the fact that minority communities are barely 2.5% of the population in this constituency.

Don't blame parties alone for failing to field candidates

It is easy to blame parties for not giving proper representation. But the fact is that there are few leaders worthy of ticket in the region. The first and most basic job of a a politician is to remain active in their area.

If they work in the constituency and nurture it, people will remember them and even reward them. However, they expect that the party would give ticket and this should be enough for them to sail through. And those who lose once, just leave the area--going to State capital or national capital, forgetting the electorate.

Times have changed, they must realise.