BJP’s Minority Morcha chief Jamal Siddiqui has roundly criticised West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s statement that there was no need for a minority morcha in the party and that the BJP line of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (with everyone for development of all) be junked.
Significantly, Mr. Siddiqui supported the Uttar Pradesh administration’s directive to shopkeepers along the Kanwar Yatra route in Muzzaffarnagar district of the State to clearly mention their names at the shops, a move that would “clearly identify” minority community shopkeepers, a move many say could result in an economic boycott of businesses owned or run by minorities.
“I clearly feel, as does every BJP worker, that the party is not there just for power, we follow the Antyodaya principle [uplift of the poorest] articulated by Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. Thus, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is the soul of the BJP. Agar aatma nikal jayegi toh shareer kis kaam ka? (if the soul dies then what use is the body?). Hence, what Suvendu Adhikari has said is against the ideology of the BJP. People are considered voters only till the elections are on, after that our services are for everyone,” he said.
Mr. Adhikari, during a BJP working committee meet in Kolkata on Wednesday, said Muslims in West Bengal had not voted for the party in the Lok Sabha election. “Stop this ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’; there is no need for a minority morcha,” he said at the meeting.
Mr. Siddiqui added that he had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the NDA meet where the latter had been elected leader, and was apprehensive to approach him considering the fact that “alpsankhakon ne hamein kam aashirwad diya (minority communities did not bless us with support), that is, not voted for the BJP, despite having treated all equally with regard to welfare programmes and development. “But Prime Minister Modi patted me on the back and said the morcha had worked well,” he said.
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‘No reason to hide’
While he was critical of Mr. Adhikari, he did not find any fault with the Uttar Pradesh administration’s orders asking for “clear identification” of businesses along the Kanwar Yatra pilgrimage route. “The order only means there is no need to hide, to change one’s name to do business. I am Jamal, I should not do business under the name of Jairam,” he said. When questioned over the othering of minorities that this was engendering and the possible encouragement to boycott minority-run businesses, he said there should be “no encroachment in religious places”.
Describing himself as a “Swayamsewak from Nagpur” (a member of the RSS), and that he too had served Kanwars on their yatra, he said that in his real estate business, he had set up many buildings under Islamic names. “I have named buildings after my mother, why shouldn’t I, why should I name my businesses to hide the truth?” he said.
The NDA allies have, however, protested the move by the Uttar Pradesh administration, pointing out that the move would shatter communal harmony in these areas. The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), the Janata Dal (U) and the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) have also criticised the U.P. government’s orders.
