Over the past few weeks, influential Muslim organisation from Telangana have been deliberating the nuances of which party — the Congress or Bharat Rashtra Samithi — to support ahead of the Assembly elections.
Sources requesting anonymity said that the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s Telangana and Odisha chapter, a few weeks ago, formed a committee to understand the political situation and sentiment across Telangana. The organisation has had internal meetings to discuss the promises that the ruling BRS made ahead of previous elections, and to what extent they were kept, policy formulation and implementation since the formation of Telangana.
“The empowerment of Muslims was discussed. Also, the law and order in the State, that there have been no major communal riots, were also spoken about,” a source familiar with the developments told The Hindu. Senior leaders belonging to major political parties are said to have met the Jamaat.
Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ahle Hadees Hyderabad Secunderabad, an organisation comprising those who adhere to the Salafi strain of Islam, said that their delegation met Congress leaders recently and handed over a list of eight demands. The organisation has not expressed support for any political party so far.
“Given that the 12% reservations [as promised by the then Telangana Rashtra Samithi] has not come into being, our list of demands includes the protection of the existing 4% reservations for Muslims, establishment of post matric hostels, and an increase in representation of Muslims in government service. So far we have not announced support for any political party,” said Shafeeq Alam Khan, president of the Jamiat.
Meanwhile, the Jamiat-i-Ulama Telangana Andhra Pradesh (Mahmood Madani faction), has been active in the districts of the State. The organisation held nearly half-a-dozen public meetings, and in the run up to these meetings had many other smaller discussions. Its general secretary Peer Khaleeq Ahmed Saber said that the organisation has been speaking about the “real issues” which the Muslim community has been facing. “Painting mosques, and constructing graveyards are not the real issues. We need more jobs and better healthcare facilities,” he said, adding that the Muslims of the districts of Telangana cannot be ignored.
