By Mohd Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Vellore: Imdad Shariff returned from London back to his home town in Northern Tamil Nadu with enthusiasm to do something for his community. One year later he now finds himself with broom in hand locking horns with powerful Muslim League in Vellore parliamentary seat.
Vellore, apart from being famous for its Christian Medical College is perhaps the only district is Tamil Nadu where people are familiar with Hindi and can converse with thick Deccani dialect.
In Vellapadi located 2.k.m from Christian Medical College in the heart of Vellore town houses still has open drainage lines. “You can imagine” said one AAP volunteer Ramakrishna, “If this is the condition of sanitation in urban Vellore then what about rural parts of the district.” Ramakrishna was an employee of Infosys; he quit the job to volunteer for Aam Admi Party.
Like Ramakrishna many other young volunteers and activists from different NGOs are campaigning for AAP candidate Imdad Shariff. Balaji, another volunteer of AAP said they are not targeting any individual politician or a political party, “We are making corruption, drinking water and electricity supply and sanitation our major issues for this election. Even if we able to ignite that political consciousness among people so they question their representative before casting vote, it will be a big achievement,” see he said, “In AAP it’s more like activism then political campaigning.”
AAP’s picking up core common issues are striking a chord with the people, at least it was to be observed in their road campaign. In Shankarampallaim another semi slum, local AAP volunteer gives a fiery speech not on caste or religion but insisting people who came out good numbers out of their houses to observe their living conditions. Then he ends by saying, “Your vote should be for broom. We are requesting you with love, make this party, yours party win.”
34 Year old Imadad Shariff completed his BBA from Chennai then moved to London to pursue MBA (International Business) from University of Wales. After completing his masters he settled in London and started work in Telecommunication Business. He along with his friends introduced global roaming SIM which earned them lot of dividends.
“Most people find it little strange, but when I was a youngster I got to know that meaning of my name in Arabic means ‘Help’, since that moment I decided that I should live up to my name,” a soft spoken Imdad said describing why he left his comfortable life in London and return back in rural Tamil Nadu.
After returning back to India, Imdad got involved in many social causes, he started one free medical aid clinic in the outskirts of Bangalore city. During Anna hazare movement he joined India Against Corruption and subsequently the Aam Admi Party.
Being from corporate line submitting resume and facing an interview was not intricate for Imdad but he candidly accept that he was quite surprised when he was chosen by the party for Vellore seat.
Attacking sitting Muslim League MP Abdul Rehman AAP candidate said ML record in Vellore is pitiable. “Abdul Rehman recently published a booklet for voters on his 5 years of performance. That performance report speaks only about projects which he has taken up. But it doesn’t mention about how many of those projects has been completed or even been started.”
He also accused Muslim League of being communal, “They will ask votes in the name of Muslim community, but has never done anything good for them.” He continued the attack, “Forget about community’s prosperity which they doesn’t even care of, look what they did for even solving religious issues on which they ask votes for,” pointing to it he said, “Vellore fort has temple, church and a mosque which was constructed by Tipu Sultan. There have been religious tensions since Muslim are not allowed to offer prayer there where as other two religious sites are open. Muslim League since playing for decades on Muslim sentiments has failed solved this issue.”
“But I am not going with communal agenda in this elections,” Imadad said apart from raising basic issues of corruption, water, sanitation and electricity he is also trying to brought into focus an issue which no political party in Vellore has touched till date, that is the plight of Beedi workers. “Many of those workers suffering from Cancer or Tuberculosis but there is not a single inpatient block in any ENT hospital. Vellore which is famous in all over country for CMC hospital can’t provide basic medical needs of thousands of local Beedi workers.”
If elected AAP candidate said he will want to curb redtapisim and bring in corporate style governance. “I will open offices in each and every ward of my parliamentary constituency. Will take complaints from people give them an attested photocopy with a deadline to solve the problem in 3 months. I want to set a mark in local governance.”
Taking a leap ahead Imdad Shariff drafted his poll manifesto and promises on a 1000 rupee attested bond paper failing to fulfill which he can be recalled by the electorate.
But with all his visionary promises Imdad Shariff is failing to attract his own community votes which form a sizable number of electorate. “My own local community leaders persuaded me a lot not to contest fearing I will divide their votes. Many Muslims I am interacting with are also showing the same fear.” Imdad admitted honestly.
The fear of community vote divide is fanned more with the candidature of A.C. Shamugam a Narendra Modi ally from dominant Mudliyar caste who is contesting with NDA rainbow alliance in the state. Thus making Muslim votes completely polarized in favor of sitting MP Abdul Rehman.
During his road show at Saidapet a Muslim dominated locality in town, people were observing him with an obvious sense of discontent. Even if some Muslims were returning back Salam it was with suspicion on their face, even at times passing remarks.
With all this odds, contesting from a new party, knowing it will be difficult or almost impossible to score a victory what makes a political novice Imdad Ali keep campaigning vigorously from early morning to dead nights. “Where does this energy comes from? I’ll tell you, when I go on campaign the moment I do a Salaam or Namaste the people who return it back with a smile gives me the energy. I know there are lots of people who are parrying for me. I believe in Allah and as a Muslim I have believe that whatever happens, happens for good.”
Another AAP volunteer Akhtar Ahmed who came from Chennai to campaign for Imdad was sitting next to him at the time of interview, he took serious exception over the question and told, “Excuse me sir, you cannot ruled us out as a fringe force. It’s a five way contest here, so there are good chances for us that we can make a huge difference.”
Mr. Akhtar also mentioned that Imdad’s candidature has been supported by CPI which has a good presence and an MLA from Gudiyatam in Vellore. Apart from that Jananayaga Muslim Munnettra Kazhagam has also announced support for AAP against Muslim League but organization is not a major force.
Imdad quoted a verse of Quran to lighten the argument, “Allah guided us in Quran to support helpless as much as we can. That’s what I am trying to do.”
He sums up the debate, adding, “See if my motto was earning I would have never been here. Winning or losing elections doesn’t matter for service. Even if I face defeat in elections I will not return back to London. I will stay here and work for my people, because I sincerely want to help them.”