Latest news with #Muslim-dominated
New Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
AIMIM keen to contest Bihar assembly elections with 'INDIA' bloc
PATNA: Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, often criticised by the Congress and RJD as the 'B-team' of the BJP, is now making active efforts to join hands with the INDIA bloc for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, scheduled for October-November this year. AIMIM's Bihar chief and MLA Akhtarul Iman told reporters on Tuesday that his party had reached out to RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav through some MLAs with a proposal to contest the elections together, especially in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region. He said AIMIM is firmly against the BJP and now it's up to Tejashwi to respond to the alliance proposal. 'Our MLAs told me that the offer has not been rejected so far,' Iman said. During his last visit to Bihar, Owaisi had accused the RJD of engineering defections in his party but expressed confidence that AIMIM would win at least 24 seats in the upcoming election. The party plans to contest 50 seats across the state. Akhtarul Iman said AIMIM is keen to fight the polls in alliance with RJD and Congress but warned that if talks fail, the blame for any vote split should not fall on his party. 'No single party can defeat communal forces. A united fight against BJP is needed,' he added. In the 2020 assembly polls, AIMIM surprised many by winning five seats in Seemanchal. However, four of its MLAs later defected to the RJD. Back then, AIMIM had contested as part of the Grand Democratic Secular Front alongside Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP and Mayawati's BSP. While AIMIM won five seats, the BSP bagged one, whose MLA, Zama Khan, later joined JD(U) and became a minister. Sources in RJD say that AIMIM's request to join the INDIA bloc has met with stiff opposition from the Left parties. However, both RJD and Congress are in favour of including AIMIM, given its influence in Seemanchal. While the RJD-Congress is said to have offered the AIMIM 8–10 seats, the Hyderabad-based party is pushing for 24 seats in the region, which includes Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar, and Purnea.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
AIMIM keen to join INDI Alliance in Bihar, says party MLA
Patna: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen ( AIMIM ) is willing to join the opposition INDI Alliance, the party state president and sole MLA Akhtarul Iman told this newspaper on Tuesday. He said the party has sent a message to both RJD chief Lalu Prasad and the Congress leadership in this regard. "We are waiting for their response. We are ready to bury the hatchet despite the fact that RJD took away our four MLAs. We want to forget these things to achieve the bigger goal of defeating the NDA," he said. Iman also said AIMIM does not want to be blamed for any split in secular votes. "Like-minded people must come under one umbrella if we want to oust the NDA from power in Bihar. RJD and Congress might be interested in power, but our move is intended to fight for justice," he said. When asked how many seats AIMIM would like to contest, the Amour MLA said, "This will not be a major issue. We will negotiate with an open heart and mind." However, sources said the party of Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi wanted to contest all the 24 seats in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal area comprising Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnia. In the 2020 assembly elections, AIMIM contested 20 seats and garnered 14.28% of the votes polled to win five seats (Amaur, Kochadhaman, Jokihat, Baisi and Bahadurganj) in Seemanchal in alliance with BSP and the then Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) of Upendra Kushwaha. Later, four of its MLAs went to RJD. Sources said RJD may be willing to give 8-10 seats to AIMIM in Seemanchal, but Congress and Left parties are opposed to any tie-up with the Owaisi's party. Iman said there was no negative response from either RJD or Congress so far. He indicated that the issue was being discussed in the RJD.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP sees opportunity to wrest Mukhtar family's traditional Mau seat in bypoll
Lucknow: The disqualification of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA Abbas Ansari from Mau Sadar assembly seat following his conviction in a hate speech case has necessitated byelection on the seat. All eyes are now on the BJP-led NDA which sees a chance to wrest the constituency which has been a stronghold of late gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari and his family for nearly two decades. Mukhtar's son Abbas Ansari won the seat in 2022 on SBSP ticket, which was then an ally of the Samajwadi Party. Now, SBSP is BJP's ally. Abbas had defeated BJP's Ashok Singh by 48,000 votes. The Mau Sadar seat was represented by Mukhtar since 1996 – twice on a BSP ticket (1996 and 2017), twice as an independent (2002 and 2007), and once as a Quami Ekta Dal candidate in 2012. Mukhtar died following a cardiac arrest while being lodged in Banda jail in Mar 2024. Party sources said BJP's organisational machinery has hit the ground running in the Muslim-dominated constituency. Sources said the party plans to build a groundswell on the lines of Muslim-dominated Rampur and Kundarki assembly seats, which the BJP won in byelections in 2022 and 2024, respectively. UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary said the party is working among the people in the district. "We will intensify the groundwork in the coming days," he said, adding that the party's central leadership would decide the candidate after due consultation. "The byelection on Mau would be contested by the NDA. Whether it would be BJP or SBSP will be decided in due course," he said. SBSP, too, has staked its claim to contest from the seat. SBSP president and UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said his party, which has been a strong contender in Mau Sadar, would seek to contest the byelection with BJP's support. Rajbhar emphasised that the SBSP was the runner-up in 2017 and won the seat in 2022, highlighting the party's growing influence in the region. A senior BJP functionary, however, said the party gave a fair chance to the SBSP by allowing it to contest the Ghosi Lok Sabha seat in 2024 which includes the Mau Sadar segment. The move, however, did not yield the desired results as Congress-backed SP candidate Rajeev Rai defeated Rajbhar's son Arvind by a significant margin of over 1.6 lakh votes. Experts said the BJP wants to capitalise on Mukhtar Ansari family's legal troubles besides highlighting the clean governance of the Yogi govt. Analysts say the disqualification of Abbas Ansari and Mukhtar's absence have significantly weakened the family's political influence in the seat. At present, Mukhtar's brother, Afzal Ansari, is Ghazipur MP on an SP ticket while his elder brother Sibghatullah's son Suhaib Ansari is MLA from Mohamadabad. However, Afzal Ansari too faces multiple criminal cases, further jeopardising the family's political future.
The Print
a day ago
- Politics
- The Print
Govt action on madrassas a serious attack on religious freedom: Arshad Madani
Madani's remarks come against the backdrop of a recent drive by the UP government in border districts such as Bahraich, Shravasti, Maharajganj, Siddharthnagar, Balrampur, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Pilibhit. Authorities have shut down over 200 unrecognised madrassas in these districts. Several religious structures operating without proper recognition or on encroached land have also been demolished. Speaking at the 'Madrassa Suraksha Sammelan' held in Saraimeer of Azamon Sunday night, Madani alleged that the Yogi Adityanath-led state government was targeting madrassas and other religious structures in Muslim-majority border districts in violation of Supreme Court directives. Azamgarh (UP), Jun 2 (PTI) Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Arshad) president Maulana Arshad Madani has criticised the Uttar Pradesh government's action on madrassas in districts bordering Nepal, calling it a 'serious attack' on the religious freedom of Muslims. 'Despite a stay from the Supreme Court, indiscriminate action is being taken in Muslim-dominated districts bordering Nepal. Not just madrassas, but dargahs, eidgahs, and graveyards are being targeted. Hundreds of madrassas have been declared illegal, and sealed. This has created a climate of fear among Muslims,' Madani said. 'If the government is working to spread hate, it is completely unjustified,' he added. Calling the government's drive 'unconstitutional', Madani said the Jamiat is legally challenging the government's action. He also advised madrassa administrations to ensure their institutions are fully compliant with legal and regulatory norms. Recalling the role of madrasaas in India's freedom struggle, Madani said, 'Madrassas have always been centres of learning. Even former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee acknowledged this. History shows that the fight against the British rule was initiated by ulemas, who were the products of madrassas.' He said that institutions like Darul Uloom Deoband were established precisely to produce activists to fight the colonial rule. Later, talking to reporters, Madani said the Jamiat has approached the court against the UP government's 'unjust' measures. He asked madrassa administrators to refrain from protesting on the streets and instead pursue justice through legal means. 'If there are any legal shortcomings in madrassas or mosques, they should be addressed to prevent government action,' he advised. Commenting on the Supreme Court's verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, Madani said, 'We accepted the judgment in the interest of peace and harmony. The aim of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind is to foster peace in the country.' PTI COR ABN ABN KVK KVK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
India.com
4 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Pakistan's Terror Factory Now Expanding Network Beyond India, Targeting Muslim-Majority Nations Like Nigeria?
New Delhi: New Delhi: In a shocking revelation that exposes Pakistan's complicity in the worldwide spread of terrorism, Nigerian security forces have detained four Pakistani men on charges of training and arming members of Boko Haram, according to reports. Nigeria, a Muslim-dominated country where about 46 per cent of people are Muslim, has been fighting the extremist Boko Haram, for well over a decade. The latest arrests highlight concerns that cross-border terrorism now appear to have spread from South Asia to the Gulf, and possibly beyond. According to Nigerian officials, quoted in media reports, the Pakistani citizens were but also training the militants in critical combat skills in addition to supplying arms. The trainings include carrying out ambush-like attacks, making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and using surveillance drones. Reports suggest that support from foreign mercenaries, including Pakistanis, has boosted the capabilities of groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Major General Abdulsalami Abubakar, commander of the Nigerian Army's Operation 'Hadin Kai Theatre', has been quoted as saying that these foreign operatives are aiding insurgent groups with strategic warfare knowledge. According to him, this has turned Boko Haram into a more formidable terror organisation from a weakened group. Boko Haram's Deadly Trail of Violence A faction of Boko Haram carried out brutal attacks at Kwatandaya and Mallam Karamti villages in Nigeria's Borno state earlier this month. At least 57 civilians lost their lives in the assault. Many of the victims were either had their throats slit or militants also reportedly abducted over 70 people. Boko Haram's insurgency has led to the deaths of over 35,000 people and displaced nearly 2.6 million since 2009. The group recruits children as fighters and carries out massacres and mass abductions. Increased use of IEDs and drones – pointing to foreign assistance – has been noticed in recent attack. Analysts have long warned about Pakistan's alleged role in exporting extremism. Similar pattern of attacks have been observed in like Russia, Iran, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and even in the 9/11 attacks in the United States where unconfirmed linked to Pakistan's involvements have been noted. A recent counter-terrorism operation in India, codenamed 'Operation Sindoor', has further intensified scrutiny on Pakistan's military and intelligence services. The Nigerian arrests further emphasises these concerns and suggest an international scale to the country's alleged support of terrorist activity. What was once perceived as a regional security issue is now emerging as a broader global emergency. The alleged presence of Pakistani nationals aiding violent groups thousands of kilometers from South Asia has raised alarms about the international implications for peace, stability and human security.
