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New Delhi: One of India’s most high-profile Muslim leaders and president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Asaduddin Owaisi thinks that India’s Muslim vote bank is a big myth.
Speaking exclusively to Gulf News, Owaisi, who recently filed his nomination papers to contest from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency for the upcoming general elections, said there has never been a monolith block comprising Indian Muslims. Such a myth, he says, is perpetuated by the ruling BJP to create a negative impression about India’s largest minority.
Excerpts from the interview:
You are often accused of indulging in appeasement politics. How do you counter these allegations?
Frankly speaking the Muslim vote bank is a myth. There has never been one in India. If there was ever such a thing as a Muslim vote bank, our representation in Parliament would have been decent. It is, in fact, abysmally low. Indian democracy is supposed to be participatory where every segment of the society would get equal representation. Sadly that has not been the case. It has always been the janeu-dhari (one who wears Brahminical thread), savarnas (one of the four major Hindu classes) who are higher in numbers. There is a direct connection between low Muslim representation in politics — be it is municipal elections, panchayat or the Parliament. Whether you like it or not, the reality of Indian politics is that if you don’t have political representations, your issues are not addressed. Underdevelopment of Muslims in education and jobs is a result of under-representation. Where is the vote bank?
How do see the toxic narrative that has become so commonplace in Indian polity now?
Modi government has encouraged some forces that are inimical, antithetical and who threaten the plural ethos of India. This kind of environment has been encouraged in the country. In an ANI interview, when asked about mob lynching, Modi said that ‘sentiment’ must be protected. As the country’s Prime Minister he must outright condemn any act of violence whether or not it involves ‘sentiment’. Modi is bound by the oath he took on the country’s constitution. The Prime Minister cannot have caveats on mob lynching by prefixing it with ‘sentiment’. This clearly is dog-whistle politics at its worst and Modi’s ministers have taken the cue in this regard.
Despite the flak he faces, Modi’s PR machinery remains formidable. Do you see him coming back to power in 2019?
With the previous mandate (280 plus seats) that Modi got in 2014, he completely failed to deliver. A non-BJP, non-Congress government is what the country needs right now. It is for the people of India to decide what govt they want but we will try our best to convince them that BJP, which has destroyed all systems of governance, should not get another shot at power. During the last five years, the BJP government has weakened most of India’s institutions — be it the Reserve Bank of India, Election Commission of India, media or the judiciary. It is time like-minded parties come together to give an alternative to the people of India.
What are the chances of a third front emerging in the aftermath of these elections?
Both the BJP and the Congress have failed the people of India. This is a good time for like-minded parties to come together because in large parts of the country people are looking for an alternative form of politics. We are looking at furthering our ties with other marginalised communities like the Dalits to contest several Lok Sabha seats. Historically coalition governments have worked more for the betterment of the nation and launched several economic policies which have been beneficial to the country. I see no reason why a third-front cannot come to power.
Talk to us about your political alliance in Telangana, your home turf.
K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) the Chief minister of Telangana, is the most secular leader in India. He is a politician who takes everyone along. In Telangana you have 50,000 minority boys and girls studying under the Telangana Minority Residential Schools (TMRS). Their education, boarding and food is free. Telangana government is spending a considerable amount of money on every boy and girl of the state for the betterment of their future. Insurance schemes for farmers and other weak sections of the society are making real change. This has to be taken forward, and we support KCR in this endeavour.
What are your views on Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi? Do you think they can help Congress turn the tide?
Legacy is a strong thing to shed. I will give you a personal example. My father Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi served as the Member of Parliament from Hyderabad for six consecutive terms until his retirement in 2004. He was an MLA for 24 years. I have been in active politics for 25 years and even now a lot of people know me as Salahuddin Owaisi’s son. So family image is not an easy thing to shed and it’s a huge task. Eventually one has to work hard and make a mark for himself or herself to be able to stand out. I hope both Gandhi siblings are able to work hard. Beyond that I wouldn’t like to comment.
The government has taken an issue with the constant critism by the opposition. Your views.
Effectively this government is trying to say that they couldn’t do a certain thing, or bring about a positive change, because the opposition is creating obstacles. This is both silly and dangerous logic. What do you want in India? A North Korea style government with practically no opposition? Is that what Modi ji wants? The people of India will soon give him an answer.
