With the growing scramble for Muslim votes in Uttar Pradesh on the heels of the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari extending support to the Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party says the Mayawati government’s track record in Muslim welfare is better than that of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress.
Claiming to be better placed than these parties to defeat the BJP, the BSP on Friday appealed to Maulana Bukhari and other sections of society tosupport the party in the Lok Sabha elections.
Incidentally, BSP president Mayawati reportedly sent feelers to the Shahi Imam last month, when she asked an MP (Rajya Sabha) to meet him. Now, the State BSP’s appeal comes within hours of the former Chief Minister, Mayawati’s rally in Muzaffarnagar, where she urged Muslims to avoid a division in their votes, and the Shahi Imam’s decision to support the Congress. It was the BSP president’s first visit to Muzaffarnagar after communal violence there claimed about 60 lives and left around 50,000 persons homeless last September.
Blaming the SP government for the violence, Ms. Mayawati urged Muslims to support the BSP to ensure that the BJP did not come to power at the Centre.
Even as the BSP welcomed the Shahi Imam’s statement that secular forces should not vote for the SP as the State government had failed to ensure the safety and security of the people, it criticised the Imam for backing the Congress and targeting the BSP.
A BSP spokesman said the Congress and the SP’s track record, particularly in the context of ensuring the safety and security of the lives and property of Muslims, was “hopeless.”
“In comparison, the BSP’s record was excellent,” the spokesman stated.
The BSP claimed that under the first three governments headed by Ms. Mayawati, not only was the rule of law established but the “BJP was also kept on a tight leash.”
Dismissing Congress’ claims, the BSP said had that party been capable of taking on Narendra Modi, the BJP would not have formed the government in 3 States. “The BSP is the only political force which can defeat the BJP in U.P.,” the spokesman claimed.