At a rally in Nanded, Maharashtra recently , PM Modi said that Rahul Gandhi has picked the safest possible seat to contest the elections as the majority is in minority in Wayanad. “Congress ke naamdaar ne microscope le kar bharat mein ek aisi seat khoji hai jahan par vo muqabala karne ki taakat rakh sake. Seat bhi aisi jahan par desh ki majority minority mein hai. (The Congress dynast went out with a microscope to look for a safe seat to contest and selected a seat where the majority is in minority),” said PM Modi while speaking at a rally in Nanded, Maharashtra.
Seems like PM Modi think being a Hindu by identity and fighting for the cause of Muslims is a bad thing in India and a Hindu can’t be a leader of the Muslims and vice versa. Almost 110 years ago based on the same assumptions the issue of a separate electorate was demanded by the Muslim League leadership and later to protect Muslim interests and prevent Hindu dominance over Muslims through a parliamentary system. The Muslim League asked that the Muslims be given a ‘fair share’ in representation. The ‘fair share’ was to be determined by the numerical position of Muslims. And later in the year 1919 by the Government of India Act The communal representation was further extended and Sikhs, Europeans and Anglo Indians were included.
Later, this separate electorate became the foundation of two nation theory and india was divided as the day one this separate electorate was carved out based on a assumption of Muslims League as Hindu can’t represent Muslims and Muslims can’t represent Hindus. PM Modi by his comments on Rahul Gandhi selection of Wayanad constituency is legitimizing this separate electorate demand for Muslims again after 110 years by Muslim League as RSS also wanted to declare India a Hindu Rashtra and proving Muslim League correct about their fear of shrinking Muslims political representation. The representation of Muslims is already lowest because of the aggressive and militant majoritarian policy of BJP and pushing Muslims further towards political margins.
This is the time for Indian electorate to condemn the comments of PM Modi as this type of arguments may not serve the idea of the freedom fighters and Indian Constitutional scheme of things to make India more inclusive society by respecting and celebrating the diversity of religion, language and culture.
The mature Indian electorate must respond to the challenges posed because of the politics of hate and segregation of the communities to fetch electoral dividends at the cost of Idea of India.
P Mohammad is a senior AMU Alumnus based in Doha Qatar and he has been actively involved within many educational and development projects for the poor and downtrodden Section of Indian Society and actively engaged to promote the key constitutional rights like freedom, liberty and secularism in India.
