At Sambhal, as SP coasts on legacy, Muslims say ‘what choice do we have’

“You know the biggest damage all this ‘Hindu-Muslim’ has done?… You start raising important issues like education, unemployment, and parties come up with something on religious lines,” says Moin Khwaja, 21, who after graduation works as operator at a cyber cafe, earning Rs 10,000 per month, in Ruknuddin Sarai village in Sambhal constituency.

However, in the seat that will vote on Tuesday, religious fissures hung heavy through the campaign.

Samajwadi Party candidate Zia ur Rahman Barq, 35, the grandson of the party’s long-lasting leader Shafiqur Rahman Barq, faced an FIR on charges of “objectionable comments” after he allegedly sought votes citing the “sacrifice” of Mohd Shahabuddin, Mukhtar Ansari and Atiq Ahmed. All three were mafia dons turned politicians who died while in custody.

With the BSP too fielding a Muslim candidate, Chaudhary Saulat Ali, Zia made frequent references to the BJP government’s “bulldozer raaj (reign)” and “threats to the Constitution”, and urged the community to vote as one. “Ye hamaare mustaqbil ka chunaav hai (This is the election for our future)… Do not forget Shafiqur Rahman saheb, he never did politics on the basis of caste, but of community only. In Parliament, he raised the voice of the region and the community. It is up to you to decide whom you want to strengthen – those who are demolishing your houses with bulldozers or those who represent you,” he said, addressing one such gathering, not very far from the cyber cafe where Khwaja works.

“Iss waqt ki nazakat ko samajhiye (understand the gravity of this situation), remember what has happened to us… This election is very special. The BJP is keeping an eye on me,” Zia said, referring to the FIR against him.

Sambhal has long been an SP