BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind, representing Nizamabad, who has emerged as the face of the Hindutva electorate in Telangana, sought the support of Muslims in the upcoming Assembly elections. The Nizamabad MP on Wednesday, August 23 said that the Bharatiya Janata Party does not view Muslims as a “vote bank”, but treats them as common people, like any other citizen of this country.
As per the 2011 Census, Muslims comprise 12.7% of Telangana’s population. In Nizamabad district, this proportion was considerably higher, with an 18.52% Muslim population. The district has six Assembly constituencies, and in the 2014 Assembly elections — held after Telangana was declared as a separate state but was yet to be officially carved out of the Andhra Pradesh — the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) contested from Nizamabad (Urban). This was the only time since then that AIMIM contested in Nizamabad district, and it came in second (with 31,840 votes) after BRS (which polled 42,148 votes). The BJP was at a distant third with 28,301 votes. The sizeable Muslim population, and the AIMIM’s favourable performance, shows the significance of Muslim voters in deciding elections in the Nizamabad region.
In a meeting addressing the Muslim community, Arvind said that while several non-BJP states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal had ensured the implementation of distribution of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaaz Yojana, KCR’s alleged corruption ensured that Telangana residents were deprived of the benefit.
“How much Dalita Bandhu has been distributed? He (K Chandrasekhar Rao) announced it at the time of Huzurabad bye-elections but it resulted in nothing. How much money has he given to Muslims? The BRS and Congress will instigate you ahead of elections. If you don’t want to vote for BJP, vote NOTA because that is better,” the BJP MP said.
Pointing out the laws introduced by the BJP for the ‘welfare’ of the Muslim community, Arvind mocked opposition parties for their stance on Triple talaq, Article 370. “They said that Muslim women will suffer, Kashmir will burn. No such thing has happened. Now they are trying to scare people under the garb of Uniform Civil Code (UCC). If your daughter is divorced by your husband, the UCC will protect her and ensure maintenance even post divorce. BRS will not go into these details,” he said.
Defending UCC, Arvind said that all these laws were attempts to ensure gender equality.
Claiming that the Muslims in the country are with the BJP, he said, “There is BJP rule at the Centre. Muslim votes are increasing in favour of BJP. We are asking for votes in Telangana now keeping this in mind. Give us a chance to prove ourselves here as well,” he said.
When asked about the BJP’s bulldozer action, targeting specifically Muslims, in states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Arvind said that the bulldozer has to be employed only if there is stone pelting first. “90% Muslims are not extremists. Please see the numbers for encounters in such cases. There are more Hindus than Muslims,” he added.