By Kulsum Mustafa, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Strike when the iron is hot. The saying is not without substance and Uttar Pradesh’s Dalit Chief Minister Mayawati is making full use of it to woo back the Muslims to the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party fold. Let down by Mulayam Singh, stabbed in the back by Congress, Muslims of Uttar Pradesh which goes to polls in less then two years are a bewildered and confused lot regarding their political affiliations. Urdu is the bandwagon on which Mayawati hopes to ride and endear herself in the hearts of UP Muslims.
There is a seething anger in the Muslims in the state against Mulayam Singh Yadav. The intentions of Samajwadi Party chief, who had over the years projected himself as the proclaimed messiah of Muslims are being doubted. After all Mulayam never thought twice before joining hands with Babri Masjid demolition-tainted BJP man Kalyan Singh for sheer personal political gains.
It is alleged that Mulayam made Kalyan Singh his political ally because he wanted to garner votes of Kalyan’s caste (Lodhi) for his daughter in law Dimple who contested the recent by-polls. The lady, a novice in politics, lost and with it came crashing Mulayam’s popularity in the Muslim circle. The fact that Kalyan Singh made an exit after his highly controversial guest appearance made Mulayam cut a sorry figure. The fact that Mulayam offered a public apology for associating with Kalyan Singh did not cut ground with the minority. They still blamed Mulayam for allying with their greatest enemy.
The recent statements made by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) at Lucknow, against Congress in regard to Congress’ role in the demolition has made the Muslims do a re-think about allying with the Congress. The BSP is finding this a healthy ground to sow the seeds of its love for Urdu.
“Government is committed to promote Urdu. Efforts are being made to connect Urdu with jobs,” said the Public Works Department minister and Mayawati’s blue-eyed boy Naseemuddin Siddiqui. He was speaking at the release of a number on poet Shakil Badauni brought out by the state information department’s Urdu magazine Naya Daur in Lucknow.
Present at the function were Urdu poets including Dr Malik Zada Manzur Ahmed and senior government functionaries including additional cabinet secretary, media adviser to chief minister, and Dr Wajahat Hussain Rizvi, editor of Naya Daur.