Divided by religion, united by poverty

Communal card commonplace in UP, but everyday issues gaining importance
Polling officials check EVMs in Meerut on Wednesday | PTI
Polling officials check EVMs in Meerut on Wednesday | PTI

MATHURA/MUZAFFARNAGAR/MEERUT: Irfan Ansari drives an auto rickshaw in Meerut’s Sardhana. He takes out his phone to show the status of a local BJP leader. Local MLA Sangeet Som is seen saying during his election campaign that he respects everyone, but that won’t stop him from preventing people from entering villages (if he loses in this Muslim-dominated seat). Som’s name was linked to the Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013.

“This is a threat to the Muslim community. Every day such videos circulate. Making such statements also shows his nervousness, for this time BJP’s communal agenda has failed to divide people,” says Ansari. The 27-year-old then points towards a campaign vehicle, from which announcement is made that the Yogi Adityanath government has ensured Lord Ram resides in Ayodhya and is building a temple that was destroyed by a Muslim ruler.

He is joined by Satbir, a daily wage worker, from the OBC Kashyap community. He says he is a BJP voter. Som, the two-time MLA, is facing a tough challenge from SP-RLD alliance candidate Atul Pradhan, a Gujjar. “Satbir may be a BJP voter, but he sits and eats with us. He also faces the same problems, like price rise, lack of development. His daily wage is `300, the same as 10 years ago. We all want development but spreading riots and creating Hindu-Muslim divide suits political leaders,” said Rafa Alam, who also comes from the OBC community and works with Satbir.

Alam points at his and Satbir’s torn shoes and clothes to highlight their economic condition. “All are in trouble under this government, whether Hindu or Muslim. Just that when there is a fight between Sunil and Salim, Sunil will be asked to pay the police and allowed to go home but Salim despite paying money will be put behind bars,” said Alam.

After the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, it was the Jat vote in 2017 that ensured a massive win for BJP in Uttar Pradesh. With farmer issues to the fore this time, Jats across western UP say that the two communities have been living peacefully and differences have reduced.

Communalism in UP has been a poll plank for years and the Yogi government came to power riding on it in 2017. Communal differences run deep in the Muslim-dominated western UP that goes to polls on Thursday. But this time, it may not work because there are other issues bothering both communities.

“The society has roles defined for both and we used to live in harmony. After riots, we faced lots of problems. The jobs of cobblers, carpenters, tailors and all machine work here is done by Muslims. Many have moved out,” says Harinder Singh Pawar, a sugarcane farmer from Bhora Kalan in Muzzafarnagar. He has several Muslims working in his fields for years.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com