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BJP lures minorities; how far will it work?

New Delhi, Sat, 26 May 2007 Sadiq Ali

May 26: In politics, parties are identified by persistence of ideology and approach but Indian politics accepts none. Changing its course, the Bharatiya Janta Party BJP, has confirmed their seriousness about increasing the presence of minority community members particularly Muslims within their party.

Party’s minority wing president and former union minister, Shahnawaz Hussain, confirmed this on Friday while stating that BJP will organise a national convention of minorities in September this year. “It has been felt the correct image of BJP is not disseminated among the masses. People still think this is not the party of Muslims. We want to clear this misunderstanding�, Hussain said while talking to media persons here.

BJP, who projected themselves as the harsh critics of , what they call ‘minority appeasement’ by Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre, now seem to be interested in the appeasement themselves. The party is looking forward to chalk a strategic approach to lure minorities particularly Muslims and project its more friendly face towards them.

While discussing the approach, party will undertake, Hussain unveiled the campaign plan, by saying that under the new organisational set up, party workers will go to rural areas "in a big way and clear the misunderstanding" about the party among the people.

Clarifying the influence of party’s Muslim leaders, former union minister rejected the notion that community leaders were sidelined in the party ranks. "Muslims have more freedom of putting across issues in BJP than in the Congress," he said.

On the recent initiatives taken by Manmohan Singh led government and regarding the conditions of Muslim community, Hussain said, "By announcing loan preference for the Muslims, it (UPA) wants to divide bank credit system on communal lines. It is a known fact that there are already minority finance commissions.�

"It is helping none, except that they are deliberately putting Muslims on the path of confrontation."

During last three years of UPA governments rule, BJP has always targeted the government for the steps taken in favour of backward sections within minorities. When government announced the implementation of Sacchar committee recommendations, the party vehemently opposed and termed it as an appeasement.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh constituted a high level 7 member committee on March 7, 2005 to prepare a report on the social, economical and educational status of the Muslim community of India. The committee was headed by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Rajender Sacchar, who made shocking revelations about the status of the community.

Political observers compare it with just another attempt to save itself from the overall dwindling vote share within majority community, who are being lured zealously by rivals as was evident, during the recently held assembly elections, by Mayawati led Bahujan Samaj party (BSP).

After projecting themselves as next to heir in Uttar Pradesh, BJP had to bare a severe setback when BSP swipe UP elections and the party (BJP) came at distinct third number. Even party’s national president Rajnath Singh accepted the verdict by saying, “Election results have necessitated to relook at the approach.�

Keeping in view the previous experience, the outcome of minority luring by BJP is yet to be seen as till now party has failed to strengthen its influence outside upper caste majority populace.


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