Prasanta Mazumdar
GUWAHATI, JANUARY 31
Lok Sabha member from Dhubri in Assam and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal is under fire from the minority community and political parties for his alleged attempts to use religion to win elections in a state where polls have never been contested on religious lines. Describing the AIUDF chief as a “threat”, eight Muslim organisations said they would boycott him in the polls.
At a rally in Baghbar last week, Ajmal appealed to Muslims to unite, claiming that there has been polarisation of Hindu votes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the state. Muslim groups and BJP have sought his arrest for “fanning communal passion”. The ruling Congress has also slammed him.
“He is communal by birth and therefore, we won’t allow him to form the government. We’ll boycott him,” said Rahamsa Ali, president of Asomiya Muslim Kalyan Parishad.Muslim group All Assam Goriya Yuva Parishad said it had warned in 2005 when AIUDF was floated that the party would ring the death knell for indigenous Muslims. Ajmal did nothing positive for Muslims, alleged its president Abdul Hamid.
“With an eye on the polls, Ajmal made a call to Muslims to unite. This is dangerous in Assam, which is known for its secular image. He has prepared a blueprint for a Hindu-Muslim riot. The DGP had revealed attempts of elements on social media to unite Muslims and motivate them to join the Islamic State. I wonder if Ajmal has any role in that. The state government should take a strong note of his design and foil it,” said BJP’s Guwahati MP Bijoya Chakraborty.
Congress accused Ajmal of planting seeds of communal politics and urged him to desist from making such statements. Pradesh Congress Committee president Anjan Dutta reminded Ajmal that elections in Assam are never fought on religious lines.
Saying that Assamese society is built on brotherhood and religious harmony, the All Assam Goriya Moriya Desi Jatiya Parishad said it was unfortunate that Ajmal was trying to divide people on religious lines. The All Assam Students’ Union said it was not surprised by Ajmal’s remark as the AIUDF was floated to protect the Bangladeshi immigrants.
In its maiden poll foray in 2006, the party won 10 of the state’s 126 seats, and bagged 18 seats in the 2011 elections. It won three of Assam’s 14 Lok Sabha seats in 2014.
