By A.Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Mumbai unit of All India Milli council yesterday held a meeting at Mumbai Press Club, CST and urged Muslims to vote for the strong secular party in their constituency so as to beat non secular and communal parties in the running Lok Sabha elections. The leaders in the meeting specifically talked about the 6 Mumbai constituencies and with some minor differences agreed upon supporting Congress in four and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in two constituencies.
Mr. Rashed Azeem, President of Milli council (Mumbai Unit), said that 2014 Lok Sabha elections will decide the future of country and that the future of country must not be given into the hands of fascist & communal forces. He also said that communal parties in India were doing everything to come into the power and that Muslims in the country must unit and vote for the strongest secular party in their constituency so that their votes will not be divided and the saffron party may not make use of it.
He clearly stated that Milli council announces support for AAP candidates Medha Patkar in North East and Mayank Gandhi in North West. He also announced Milli council support for Congress in remaining four constituencies of Mumbai.
Some members of Muslim organizations who were present in the meeting strongly expressed their dissatisfaction with support for Congress saying that Congress has not worked for the benefit of Muslims and must also be defeated in the elections. Mr. Rashed Azeem told them that if Muslims do not vote for congress then their votes will get divided which will ultimately help saffron parties and therefore Milli Council has decided to support Congress in some constituencies and AAP in some.
Maulana Mahmood Daryabadi, General Secretary of All India Ulema Council said,”Muslims must vote in greater number so that our strength in deciding results of running elections is known to the country”. He also added that Muslims should not let their votes go in vain and that they should work united to defeat communal parties.
President of Iqra International Women’s Alliance Uzma Nahid endorsed her support for AAP and said, “I always prefer not to come to the political platform but the situation in the country has led me to urge people to support those political parties whose agenda is secular and who are truly sympathetic towards Muslims”. She raised the issue of basic facilities like sanitation and water under the rule of congress and said “Muslim community is still struggling to get these basic facilities and therefore people may this time believe and vote AAP for a change”.
Farid Shaikh of Aman Committee extended his support for Congress and said, “Today need has once again arise to defeat communal forces and therefore Muslims must support Congress even if they have not fulfilled their all promises because it is at least not like saffron parties ”.