By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net
A murder in Amroha has created political storm in the district, and divided the Muslim community on caste lines, which is likely to have an adverse effect on the upcoming assembly polls.
The incident relates to the murder of Shaukat Pasha at Dingarpur in Moradabad district on Saturday, November 25. Pasha is reported to be have criminal antecedents and the murder took place at a petrol pump owned by relatives of minister Mehboob Ali.
Pasha hailed from Turk community while Mehboob Ali is Malik (teli).
The incident resulted in large scale protest against Mehboob Ali by members of the Turk community. The matter has reached such a level that several panchayats have been held by Turk community and have taken the decision—No vote for Mehboob.
Turks have also decided that they will not even vote for Samajwadi Party unless an FIR is lodged against Mehboob.
The family members of Pasha have given application to police mentioning Mehboob’s name for conspiracy to murder. For two days—Saturday and Sunday—there was anarchy in Amroha with Turk community blocking highway and resorting to arson. Things settled after the burial of Pasha.
However, on Wednesday thousands of Turk community members gathered at Pasha’s village for the teeja of the deceased.
Most vocal was former MP Shafeequr Rehman Barq who openly named Mehboob and demanded that he should be sacked from the ministry. Barq himself hails from Turk community and met DIG with a delegation for including Mehboob’s name in the FIR. Political leaders from all parties visited Pasha’s residence. Now the protest and panchayat of Turk community is spreading to other districts. A panchayat was held in Rampur where the Turk threatened to oppose SP.
Lately Samajwadi Party has been benevolent with the Malik community and has included Mehboob Ali in the ministry. His son Pervez Ahmed is MLC while another person from Malik community, Ashu Malik too has been nominated as MLC.
Turk community have sizeable number and are number about 35,000-40,000 in Amroha, the assembly seat from where Mehboob Ali is elected.
The murder is likely to have impact on poll prospects of SP after the murder of Pasha who is reported to have nearly 50 cases pending against him.