The 58-member Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has 10 Muslim ministers. The state government has allocated `500 crore for the repair, renovation and upkeep of Muslim graveyards. Yet, the Muslim support base of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) seems to be cracking. They are not happy with the “cosmetic initiatives,” and want better education, jobs and security. The UP Muslims feel betrayed owing to SP’s failure in fulfilling its election promise of ensuring 18 per cent reservation for the community in the government jobs. Also, with the murder of Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia-ul Haque still fresh in the public memory, Muslims are feeling insecure. Then, nearly 100 communal riots have affected their perception. The community feels it has seen better days during Mayawati’s rule.
Amidst the unrest, Akhilesh government is facing the heat from the Opposition. With Muslims allies turning foes, he can’t breathe easy. Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Maulana Bukhari has declared he is severing ties with the SP. He has threatened to launch a campaign from April 21 in Etawah against the Akhilesh government for “betraying the Muslims after collecting their votes.” Bukhari even got his son-in-law Omar Ali—who was made an MLC by the SP government, and associate Wasim Ahmad—who was the chairman of UP Pollution Control Board, to disassociate from the SP government. The sense of disenchantment is so strong among the Muslims that SP’s candidate from Lucknow parliamentary constituency Ashok Bajpai was not allowed to speak from a dais dominated by Muslim leaders at a meeting. Bajpai was asked to leave.
Adding to Akhilesh’s woes is senior party leader Azam Khan who has been staying away from party events, has not meeting the CM and has been ignoring party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Khan is annoyed with the father-son duo due to differences of opinion over critical policy matters. Though the chief minister keeps a chair vacant for Khan to turn up at meetings, the disgruntled Muslim leader never shows up, not even when the party celebrated its one year in office on March 15.
The general feeling among the Muslims and the community leaders is that the SP government is trying to woo the community with freebies and is not really offering real. Moreover, they feel the benefits are limited to a few people while the larger population remains untouched. The state government has failed to implement the central government’s Multi-sectoral Area Development Programme. This scheme by the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MOMA) targets to benefit nearly 90 districts in the country having Muslim population of 25 per cent or more. Twenty-one districts in Uttar Pradesh fall under this scheme and the state government was to carry out developmental works like building hospitals, schools, and providing water facilities. But, the MOMA data reveals that the state has not implemented even 50 per cent of the target till December 31 last in spite of the funds provided by the central government.
Akhilesh Yadav recently visited the world famous seminary Nadwatul Ulema in Lucknow and assured Maulana Rabey Hasan Nadwi of full support to the community for its socio-economic development. For Akhilesh, pleasing the community is easier said than done. He has to first tackle Imam Bukhari and Khan who are at loggerheads and often pull each other down. Factionalism in Akhilesh’s Muslim support base and the fear of losing the Muslims will certainly keep the Yadavs on the edge. As of now, Mulayam Singh Yadav can forget about his prime ministerial dream.
The Sunday Standard