MAULANA SYED JALALUDDIN OMARI, Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, in an interview with Urdu monthly Zindagi-e-Nau (August 2014), dwelt upon the scenario prevailing in the country following the recent Lok Sabha elections and suggested the course of action for the citizens, especially the Muslims in the present circumstances. Keeping its importance in view, we are presenting its English translation for the benefit of our readers. – Ed.
What are the reasons for defeat of secular parties in the recent Lok Sabha elections?
Lok Sabha elections have been much discussed in media. There are many reasons for defeat of secular parties. One is their lack of unity. There was UPA-led-government at the Centre. In the early few years, this coalition remained intact but later fell victim to differences and a chain of accusation and counter-accusation against each other ensued. The S.P. and the B.S.P. that were extending outside support to the Congress were persistently criticising it and looked for their success in the failure of Congress. The same was the condition with other parties.
The government at the Centre was so corrupt that perhaps you can’t get an example of it in the past. Everybody was writhing under its corruption. Congress had got support of minorities, especially Muslims. It made a lot of promises to Muslims and kept making announcements to implement Sachar Committee recommendations but practically kept ignoring major demands of Muslims such as the issues of illegal arrests of innocent Muslim youth, anti-communal violence bill and strengthening their economy and providing them with better employment opportunities. Muslims were unsatisfied with it in other matters too. They supported Congress involuntarily where there was contest between Congress and BJP. But if there was an alternative of Congress, they preferred it.
There was also an air for anti-incumbency besides the failures of Congress. The reason was that there was no specific difference between the policies of Congress or UPA and BJP or NDA. The home and foreign policies of Congress were pro-America and pro-Israel rather toed their line.
There was dominance of MNCs and Corporates over the national economy. Everybody knows that the BJP also wants to follow those policies. Therefore, when the Congress weakened and disappointed the Corporates, then these powers supported the BJP and the entire corporate sector stood by it. They spent their huge amount of money for the BJP and Mr. Modi. They realised that their interest was safer only in the hands of the BJP. The question was who can better implement the same policy. Eventually, the people voted for the BJP and thus the desire for anti-incumbency also got fulfilled.
The election system has also played its role in defeating secular parties. Under this system, there is such a division of votes among many candidates and parties that if a candidate secures even one per cent more votes than his nearest rival gets, he wins the election notwithstanding his failure to get the majority of votes in the constituency. The same happens with parties. Despite getting less percentage of votes, one wins the election while others stand defeated. This is why in spite of getting 4 per cent votes Bahujan Samajwadi Party did not get even one seat in Uttar Pradesh while Trinamool Congress got 32 seats on 3.8 per cent votes, AIDMK got 37 seats on 3.3 per cent votes and Biju Janata Dal got 20 seats on 1.6 per cent votes. If the principle of proportional representation is followed, this scenario can be changed. Now, this is being demanded by different parties; it must be debated at the national level.
Why did the poll strategy of Muslims fail?
It is not proper to say that the poll strategy of Muslims failed. At every election time, their election rests on two points. One is to defeat fascist forces. And the other is to support secular forces, put demands before them and expect from them to fulfil those demands. These two points were very much before the Muslims this time too.
Generally, Muslims kept supporting the Congress. It also had been benefitting them. With the passage of time, on the one hand the Congress lost its confidence and on the other Muslims got divided in different secular parties. Now, the scenario is that their association with those parties cannot be broken. Their interests and the interests of those parties too are associated therewith. Neither they can abandon the party nor would the party like to ignore them. So, in the present scenario it would be impractical for the Muslims to get united to support a candidate of a particular secular party. It never happened before nor is it possible now. Some attempts have been made in this regard; this time too. Somewhere, it yielded good results, but overall it cannot be called successful. As usual, Muslims have supported only secular parties. Despite this, they got defeated. It can be termed as the defeat of those parties and not the Muslims’. It should be kept in mind that Muslims are in majority only in eight or ten constituencies in the country. If there is no division of votes there, their representatives can succeed. But in the rest of the constituencies, their votes can make impact on the result but cannot be decisive.
At the time of pondering over the unity of Muslims at election times, the reaction to such unity also must be kept in mind. If Muslims are 30 per cent in a constituency and they get united then the rest 70 per cent can also get united. Even of half of the latter get united, it is they who would succeed.
What are the apprehensions of Muslims about the new ruling party?
It should be kept in mind that the BJP is not only a political party but an ideological one as well. RSS is its ideological foundation. The BJP gets ideological sustenance from it and fulfilling their aspirations politically is included in its objectives. RSS is the torch-bearer of a particular culture and civilization and wants its dominance here; it is called Hindutva. Muslims and other cultural minorities truly feel apprehension about it. Muslims think that their personal laws can be abrogated; there can be problem for them in continuing Islamic education; and there can be such changes in government syllabi as can oppose the basic teachings of Islam. Such efforts have been made already in the states where the BJP has been in the saddle. In this regard, Muslims will have to stand awakened and explain to the country its ill consequences.
Not only Muslims but other minorities too cannot accept cultural aggression. This is the attitude of abolishing their identity and individuality. Rise of the apprehension in minorities that their individuality is being abolished is dangerous for the unity and solidarity of the country. Wherever necessary, efforts should be made to take legal steps to counter cultural aggression.
The Government apparently wants open discussion on certain issues. Therefore, sometimes discussion is sought on whether or not Muslims are a minority; some other times the question of common civil code is raised; and yet some other times Article 370 is debated while it belongs to Kashmir only.
With occasional floating of such questions it seems that efforts are being made to know the approach as well as reaction of Muslims thereon. In this regard Muslims should present their stand before the Government strongly and also before the country with strong arguments.
It is hard to say that in the present circumstances, when the country is passing through depression and the people who are unfazed with skyrocketing inflation fail to see the dream of good days promised by the government before its formation coming true in the near future, the government will begin to enforce its agenda soon; but despite this it shall try to pave the way for it. Therefore, its measures will have to be analysed minutely and appropriate steps too will have to be taken in time.
Will the present government succeed in implementing its political agenda? What should be the role of Muslims in this regard?
In 2004 the BJP fought election on the issue of Shining India under the leadership of Mr. A.B. Vajpayee but it could not succeed. This time, Mr. Narendra Modi fought the electoral battle in the name of development of the country. He made development, inclusiveness and good governance poll issues, and succeeded. The BJP did not make its particular ideology the issue on both the occasions. It means that the BJP itself realises that the nation has no interest in its ideological agenda and it is not going to benefit the people in any way. People’s real interest lies in development of the nation. They wish that their nation come out of the line of developing nations and stand as one among the developed nations. The benefit of development should reach each person without any discrimination and a clean and transparent government replace the present corrupt government. The electoral leader of BJP and its PM material Mr. Narendra Modi realised this reality and presented an agenda in which people might have attraction, side-lining its ideological agenda. He succeeded in this strategic move. He also touched the issue of casteism occasionally, but its appeal was mostly local rather than national.
Now, it is the responsibility of every citizen of the country that he should keep on reminding the government to implement its electoral agenda and also keep a close eye on the measures the government would be taking to see to it that it does not divert from its pledged agenda. The Muslims should also keep noticing that the Government must not opt for its Hindutva agenda, leaving aside its electoral agenda. There is a Constitution in this country. Under this, the election is held, a government is formed and a system of government is run. The foundation of the Constitution rests on freedom of expression and practice, equality and equity and justice. Freedom means that every person and group will have the freedom of faith and thought, that their religious identity and individuality will exist, that they will have the right to establish educational institutions and continue economical struggle, and that such an atmosphere will prevail in which they might feel that they are breathing in an open environment and are free from undue forceful and coercive restrictions of sorts. Likewise, there should be no discrimination between one individual and another and one group and another in matters of delivery of justice and giving of rights. The demands of justice should be fulfilled at any cost.
It is the responsibility of the people in the country to see to it whether or not the Constitution is being followed in governance of the country. If there is any violation in this regard, they should raise voice against it. Judiciary is also there in the country, with the responsibility to protect the Constitution. It also should stand alert and vigilant.
(to be concluded)