By A.Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: A little known Muslim organization, Maharashtra Muslim Ekta Parishad have declared their support for Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena (SS) after getting his views on certain community related issues.
At a time when all the major parties in Maharashtra are going to contest the Assembly elections on their own without any alliance, they are not missing any opportunity to reach out to all sections of the society to garner their support.
The declaration of support from Muslim organization has come at a time while campaigning for the election is at peak and every party in the state is posing as a savior for people and trying to gather every possible support from even smaller section of the society, considering that even a single vote is important when the fight has narrowed this time due to non-alliance of all major parties.
Shiv Sena and BJP snapped their 25 years old alliance over seat-sharing issue as an insurgent BJP hopes to emerge as the single largest party in the state. Similarly the15 year old Congress-NCP alliance also broke down over seat-sharing differences
Aakif Dafedar, President of Maharashtra Muslim Ekta Parishad on Monday announced that his organization will support Shiv Sena in the election “after getting satisfactory answers” from Uddhav Thackeray on four crucial Muslim issues.
He demanded from Thackeray to help Waqf board in retaining all its properties presently encroached by other institutions, to establish fast track courts for terrorism related cases, to pay compensation for the acquitted people accused of terrorism charges and to increase fund to Maulana Azad Finance Corporation to Rs. 4000 Crore.
According to the sources, Thackeray listened to all the demands posed to him and after consultations and clarifications assured that if they come to power, his government will make laws in that regards to fulfill such demands. He also assured that his party will maintain communal harmony in the state and would also assure that Muslims are not ill treated and justice is delivered to every section of the community.
Earlier this month a prominent Muslim leader and vice president of Raj Thackeray led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Haji Arafat Shaikh had joined Shiv Sena alleging sidelining of Muslim issues by in the MNS.
Shaikh’s entry into Shiv Sena has been viewed as an unexpected gift for the Shiv Sena as he may prove to be a formidable catch. He has the backing of over three million Qureshi clan members in the state besides nearly million-strong transporters’ unions.
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Dalit leaders uniting with BJP, Muslims splitting between ‘secular’ & Muslim parties in Maharashtra