Malegaon surprised the whole country by electing 26 members to its Municipal Corporation from Mufti Mohammed Ismael Qasimi’s newly formed Indian Muslim Congress (IMC). This is a party of Ulema and non-political community leaders headed by chief Imam of Jama Masjid of the city. He is a prominent religious leader and belongs to a family of businessmen and has selfless service to community to his credit. His party’s emergence as the single largest group has set a new trend in the civic life of this long neglected city of more than six lakh people. Seventy-five per cent of the city’s population is Muslim and that explains why this is perhaps one of the most neglected cities of India.
Malegaon’s Muslims, mostly migrants from Uttar Pradesh came here in the aftermath of First War of Independence 1857. They made a significant contribution to textile industry. Before and after independence of India Malegaon’s powerlooms contributed a sizeable quantity of unbleached cloth to textile mills in Bombay and other places. But changes in mode of production, insufficient and erratic supply of electricity, and above all, unsympathetic attitude of State Government wrought havoc and threw the city in throes of death. Fifty-five per cent of population here lives in slums. And about 60 per cent of households do not have toilets. Its population is educationally backward and economically deprived. The people here frequently pose the question, “Why are we being punished, what is our crime?”
Malegaon witnessed in the past several communal riots which left long lasting streaks of rancour. It saw a bomb blast attack on a mosque on September 8, 2006, which killed 26 people and left more than a hundred injured. The irony is that instead of bringing to book the real culprits, the police and investigating agencies arrested the members of the victim community itself.
It is heartening that the people of Malegaon are trying to throw away the burden of the past and turn a new leaf of self confidence and self development. IMC has fought this election on non-communal lines on the twin issues of development and brotherhood. It is a good sign that Hindus, who are largely under the influence of Shiv Sena, have also extended their support to the new party. What Malegaon requires is peace and progress, communal peace and overall progress. The Government of Maharashtra also should read the writing on the wall. The common people will no longer tolerate continued denial of basic civic amenities to them. The Government should see to it that people of the city are provided with clean drinking water, sufficient educational facilities, public lavoratries and also efficient drainage system. Besides this job opportunities also should be created.
This fact was brought to the notice of the nation in the wake of September 2006 blast that the Government hospital there did not have even bandages and primary medicines, not to speak of life-saving drugs. Therefore the people had to rush the injured persons to private clinics. This fact was brought to the attention of Vilasrao Deshmukh, the State Chief Minister, and Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, when they rushed to the city immediately after September 2006 blasts.
Malegaon people have rejected traditional politicians and pinned their hopes on a new group of community leaders. Let them give clean and efficient administration and change the fate of this ailing city and let this city of six lakh citizens regain its lost glory. This is the responsibility of the new party to come up to the expectations of the voters. Let the common citizens not run from pillar to post and post to pillar as it is the case with most of the civic bodies which have become the dens of neglect and maladministration and hiding places for irresponsible and infamous politicians.