Atal, Modi speeches fuel BJP Rath drive to woo Muslims, but miles to go…

LUCKNOW Muslim outreach in a state like UP, which is defined by a deep communal divide, seems to be an uphill task for the BJP that claims to be the biggest political party in terms of numbers and is largely seen as committed to the ideological cause of Hindutva.
The task has become more intriguing at a time when the state is seeing a debate over issues like eatery nameplate directive and the Waqf Amendment Bill. HT took stock of the party’s current membership drive in a state where Muslim population is said to be the largest in the country. The UP BJP Minority Cell, headed by Kunwar Basit Ali, has been given the task of adding 5 lakh members, of which the cell claims to have achieved the figure of 4 lakh.
From telling people about giving India a Muslim President like APJ Abdul Kalam to benefits of various government schemes being given without any bias are the common points that the cell is using to draw new members to the party. Also, speeches of former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and PM Narendra Modi are being played on LED campaign raths (vans) that are being sent strategically to minority-dominated localities.
Speaking on the membership drive by the minority cell of the UP BJP, its state president Kunwar Basit Ali said, “We were given a target of making two lakh members earlier. It was revised to 5 lakh, and till date, around four lakh members have been added to the fold. Earlier, there were around 1.5 lakh Muslim members of the BJP.”
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“It is an uphill task to make Muslims join the BJP. But when our teams visit a minority- dominated area, they request people to join the party by giving missed calls on the designated numbers. We tell them how the number of civil servants from the minority community has increased in the BJP regime and how Muslims now have more representation. Also, we tell them how the benefit of welfare schemes by the government is being given without any bias. Our workers explain how riots have reduced in the BJP regime and how law and order has improved compared to previous regimes,” said Ali.
However, there are questions by the minority community over the statements made by some senior BJP leaders, which the Minority Cell tries to answer in an attempt to convince them that the party cares for them.
“People do question us about some of the statements by BJP leaders, but we try to convince them in our own way. There are more questions on the Waqf issue. The conversation that we usually have these days with the minority community is about Waqf Amendment Act, which is yet to come into play. Once it is finalised, how it will be in favour of less privileged members of the community and how BJP is working in their favour…is the message we convey,” said Ali as he spoke on the challenges faced by the cell while approaching community members.
“However, there are instances when people do not get convinced. But then we try our best to convince them to join the party,” added Ali.
“It is fact that chances of making members are more at a place where Muslims have gathered in large numbers. Our workers, who also hail from the Muslim community, try to connect with people after the Friday prayers,” emphasised Basit Ali, adding that all the Muslims are not with the Samajwadi Party or Congress and many of them are fed up of these parties.
Ali said the BJP Minority Cell launched a ‘Rath’ campaign (campaign vehicle) some time back, aimed at creating a ‘mahaul’ (environment). “An Rath with LED display and posters of BJP leaders has been sent to minority-dominated areas. Schemes of the government and promises made by it for the minorities are being played on the van. Old speeches of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji, along with speeches of PM Narendra Modi, are also played strategically in Muslim dominated areas. It helps us create the mahaul,” added Ali.
The cell is also working for the upcoming bypolls to 10 assembly seats in UP. Back-to-back meetings are being held in these constituencies and BJP Minority Cell UP president Kunwar Basit Ali is addressing these meetings. “We are working on minority dominated districts with more determination, especially at the booth level. Booth level committees have been constituted; sector coordinators have also been appointed and work at organisational level is underway,” he said.
However, the SP attacked the BJP over its membership drive, saying that the saffron party was least bothered about minority issues.
“BJP needs to self-introspect. It doesn’t field Muslim candidates in Lok Sabha and assembly elections. In a democracy, every section of society needs representation, but this party is not concerned about this. They believe in lip service and photo-op exercises like this membership drive. Why there is no Muslim representation in the Union cabinet…why BJP-ruled governments use bulldozers to target Muslims…Why are Muslims framed in fake cases? BJP does not have answers to these questions. A mere membership drive without doing anything substantial for the community is an exercise in vain,” said Abdul Hafiz Gandhi, spokesperson, Samajwadi Party.