National

The Tiger Purrs

The Sena and BJP adopt a conciliatory stance towards Muslims

Advertisement

The Tiger Purrs
info_icon

There’s change in the air around ‘Matoshree’, Shiv Sena chief BalThackeray’s suburban residence. A number of Muslim leaders are knocking on a doorthey earlier avoided. That, and the unprecedented visit last week of Ashraf Jahangir Qazi,Pakistan’s high commissioner to India, spoke volumes about the new Thackeray line.One which seeks to win over the minorities and put behind the militant brand of Hindutvathat has in the past converted elections in Maharashtra into a display of saffron muscle.

From threats and derogatory references, Thackeray now suggests Hindus live"amicably" with Muslims. This from a man who six years ago when the Babri Masjidfell in Ayodhya, praised his boys for a job well done. Now it’s the BJP and the moremilitant members of the Sangh parivar who’re outraged at his suggestion that anational monument—including a temple, a masjid and a memorial to freedom fighterMangal Pandey—be built at the disputed site.

Advertisement

Thackeray speaks of a tremendous response, not only from withinMaharashtra, but also from Arab nations to both his changed approach and the nearly threeyears of riot-free government under the Sena-BJP. The BJP stateunit too claims that Muslims have become less cautious and more open to them. "Forthe first time, BJP leaders were invited to not less than 100 Iftar parties here. Till nowno one was willing to even accept our greetings on Id," says city unit president,Kirit Somaiyya.

According to Somaiyya, in a 2,000-sample survey conducted across Mumbai bythe BJP last fortnight, about 33 per cent Muslims were willing to consider the BJP."This doesn’t mean they’ll vote for us. But at least they’re notshutting us out any more. BJP posters, banners and we ourselves are gaining access to themand their areas," he says. Another survey on a similar-sized sample conducted inMumbai Northeast, Pramod Mahajan’s constituency which has a size-able Muslim andDalit population, showed 25 per cent of the Muslim electorate knew him and 10 per cent mayeven vote for him.

Advertisement

In Mumbai itself, Muslims form nearly 10 per cent of the electorate. Whilethe Dalit vote’s been divided among factions backing different political parties,Muslims have mostly stood by the Congress, except in the last polls. In the post-Ayodhyariots that rocked Mumbai, the Muslim community was mostly targeted by Shiv Sainiks.Memories of the bloodshed remain. It was the serial blasts that followed and therepressive measures—including indiscriminate use of TADA—by the Sharad Pawargovernment that weaned Muslims away from the Congress. They’ve since found analternative in the Samajwadi Party (SP). The Congress places its hopes on alliances toraise its seat tally from an all-time low of 15 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra in the lastelections. A poll understanding with the SP this time in Mumbai offers it hope of winningback the Muslim vote. Pacts are also being firmed with the Republican Party to bring thesplintered Dalit vote within its fold.

But the BJP and Sena too have trained their smiles on the Muslims. Not all areconvinced. "Their claims are nonsense. Bal Thackeray is never firm in his statementsand everyone knows their history. The Congress has done its best to see the secular voteisn’t divided. They’ve realised the SP’s strength," says SohaliLokhandwala, SP MLA and candidate from south-central Mumbai.

Clearly, the Sena will have to do more than signal a mere change of heart. Whether itsnew line under a mellower Thackeray gets votes or not, it would mark a beginning in anarea long vilified by the party.

Tags

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement