By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: The agenda of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) will now echo in the Samajwadi Party (SP). With an eye on Muslim vote bank, the outfit too has readily agreed to support most of their demands.
The transformation came after Member, AIMPLB, Kamal Farooqui joined SP during party’s Agra Convention on June 8. Farooqui who had close links with Congress is also associated with several eminent Muslim organisations as All India Milli Council (AIMC) and others. His association with Congress reaped benefits as he was rewarded with the post of Chairman, Delhi Minorities Commission.
“SP supremo Mulayam has agreed to raise the issue of Muslim reservation, waqf bill and the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) at national level. His support will provide the much needed impetus to these demands. I too joined the party after his assurance,” said Farooqui during a press conference on Saturday. He also stated that SP has always been pro-AIMPLB and now after his formal joining he will be in a better position to drive his point.
Responding to a query, Farooqui termed the emergence of various Muslim political outfits as a dangerous sign for Muslims of the state. “The demographic condition of UP is different from other states as Assam and Kerala. Here Muslims are scattered and any religion based political outfit will result in polarisation of votes. Muslims should understand this and join the mainstream politics,” he said. Farooqui even claimed that he is having parleys with Dr Ayub of Peace Party, representatives of Ulema Council and recently launched Welfare Party of India (WPI) for striking truce for a unified front led by SP. “It is too premature to commit but I am trying my best,” he said.