Latest news with #Muslim-dominated
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Why all Kerala roads lead to Nilambur today
Just 10 months ahead of the assembly election due in April-May next year, Nilambur voters will choose their MLA in the bypoll on June 19 and the results will be declared on June 23. When the three-week-long poll campaign concluded in the evening of June 17, both the rival alliances—the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)—claimed they would be victorious by a margin of 10,000 ruling CPI(M) has fielded M. Swaraj, a senior youth leader from the constituency, against Congress leader Aryadan Shoukath, son of veteran Congress leader Aryadan Muhammed, who represented Nilambur for 34 years. P.V. Anvar, who resigned as MLA after rebelling against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M), and was a two-term independent MLA before becoming the state convenor of the Trinamool Congress, is also in the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP has fielded a Christian, Advocate Mohan George, to test the waters with the Christian minorities in the Muslim-dominated constituency. The NDA is likely trying for communal polarisation by wooing the Christians—around 20 per cent of the Nilambur voters—into its has 2.32 lakh voters on the list and whoever gets around 73,000 votes will emerge as the winner. 'Swaraj will win by over 10,000 votes,' says V.P. Anil, CPI(M) district secretary. 'Nilambur will vote for the developmental politics that the Left government is promoting.' The Congress, for which winning the bypoll is important for political survival, offered associate membership in the UDF to the Jamaat-e-Islami's political outfit, the Welfare Party. Meanwhile, CM Pinarayi, who led the poll campaign from June 14 to 16, has said his party 'doesn't want votes from communal parties such as the Social Democratic Party of India, the political outfit of the banned Popular Front of India, or the Jamaat-e-Islami that supports the Congress'. Pinarayi tagged the radical Islamic outfits as 'politically untouchables for the Left'.advertisementThe LDF is determined to retain Nilambur also because its former independent legislator Anvar resigned after hurling serious accusations of corruption at the Chief Minister's Office and additional DGP M.R. Ajithkumar, who handled law and order, and was removed from the post following the meanwhile, is negotiating with the Indian Union Muslim League and their opponents, the Samastha Ulama organisation, the largest Sunni scholarly outfit with the most support among Kerala's Muslims. He met Samastha president Jifri Muthukoya Thangal on June 17 at Malappuram.'The UDF had an upper edge in the constituency since Anvar revolted against the CPI(M), but the Congress could not exploit this advantage after the former MLA repositioned himself in the contest as an independent candidate,' says Firoz Usman, a Nilambur resident. 'If Anvar polls around 25,000 votes, the LDF candidate will win with a 5,000-vote margin as the CPI(M) has a solid vote bank of 33 per cent. As Anvar has 20,000 loyal voters, if he trades his votes to the UDF at the last minute, the Congress-led alliance will win.'Indeed, while the Anvar factor will likely turn the Nilambur bypoll into a thrilling political encounter, the CM's campaign focused on the merits of welfare-driven governance. The Congress made an attempt to expose the government's shortcomings with a road show involving Priyanka Gandhi, who represents Wayanad—a constituency that includes the Nilambur assembly segment—in the Lok Sabha. The Rahul factor was missing, though. When the results are declared on June 23, it would indicate the party's chances in 2026 as well. And if the Congress loses the assembly polls, Pinarayi will get a straight third term in to India Today Magazine
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Four-cornered showdown in Nilambur as high-octane bypoll campaign draws to a close
The high-voltage public campaign for the Nilambur assembly bypoll on 19 June drew to a close on Tuesday, with various political parties holding massive roadshows and rallies to mark its culmination. Hundreds of political activists took to the streets, seeking votes for their respective candidates and expressing solidarity with them. Colourful festoons were strung up, cinematic songs were played, and drums were beaten as the high-octane campaign concluded in the evening. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Party workers could be seen dancing, holding balloons, and waving party flags. The parting of ways between LDF-backed independent MLA P V Anvar and the ruling CPI(M) paved the way for a bypoll in Nilambur, a forest-fringe constituency located in the northern Malappuram district. Live Events With just months remaining for the Pinarayi Vijayan government to complete its consecutive second term in office, the by-election in Nilambur has become a prestigious battle for both the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the opposition Congress-headed UDF. While the Congress picked former chairman of the Nilambur Municipality, Aryadan Shoukath --the son of the late party veteran Aryadan Mohammed-- the CPI(M) put its weight behind its state secretariat member, M Swaraj. While both traditional fronts expressed confidence in their victory, the BJP-led NDA decided to try its luck by fielding lawyer-politician Mohan George, who was previously associated with various Kerala Congress factions. With the surprise entry of Anvar himself -- now the Trinamool Congress state convenor -- into the poll fray, the contest in Nilambur has become a four-cornered fight, further increasing the political heat. Unlike many other constituencies, issues ranging from the common man's concerns -- such as human-animal conflicts and welfare pensions -- to international topics like the Israel-Palestine conflict and the Congress's alleged association with Jamaat-e-Islami became subjects of intense debate during the bypoll campaign . Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who attended multiple poll rallies in Nilambur and campaigned for party candidate Swaraj, accused the Congress leadership of playing communal cards to win the election. The Congress-led UDF strongly rejected the charges, turning the allegation back at the LDF camp, accusing them of attempting to woo communal votes in the Muslim-dominated constituency. The opposition also sought to bring back into focus the controversial remarks made by Vijayan in the past in connection with the Muslim-dominated Malappuram district. The ruling camp, however, attempted to counter the narrative by highlighting the "bribery" remarks made by AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal in connection with the disbursal of welfare pension arrears, made on the sidelines of the upcoming bypoll. The CPI(M), which accused him of attacking a vital welfare scheme, seized upon the comment made during a speech as part of the ongoing Nilambur bypoll campaign, framing it as an insult to pension beneficiaries. The support extended by the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed political outfit, the Welfare Party, for the UDF in the election also triggered debates during the campaign. The Left alleged that the Welfare Party's support for the UDF candidate was part of the communal stance that the Congress-led alliance in the state has been continuing for some time. However, the LDF justified the support extended by the People's Democratic Party (PDP), led by controversial cleric Abdul Nasar Ma'dani, for the Left candidate in the Nilambur bypoll, stating that it was a party that has suffered "several persecutions" in the state. Even months before the announcement of the bypoll date, human-animal conflict had been a burning issue in the forest-fringe district, as the constituency witnessed a series of casualties and widespread crop destruction in recent times. The death of a hapless school student after coming into contact with an illegal wild boar trap in Nilambur, during the bypoll campaign period, triggered a huge political row across the state. Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, recently used incidents of human-animal conflict and the alleged politicisation of the welfare pension scheme to criticise the LDF government while visiting the constituency to campaign for Shoukath. With a day left for the crucial bypoll -- widely regarded as a curtain-raiser for the upcoming state election next year -- all major candidates expressed confidence in their victory. While addressing a press conference in Nilambur, Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, V. D. Satheesan, claimed that Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath would win by a margin of no less than 15,000 votes. However, LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan rejected the claim, stating that the political climate in Nilambur was in favour of their candidate, M Swaraj. The counting will be held on June 23.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Keeping up with UP: Can BJP penetrate the impregnable fortress of Mukhtar Ansari?
There's a legend about two gangster-turned-politicians of eastern UP. It goes like this: Mukhtar Ansari's deadly rivalry with Brijesh Singh dates back to his college days. He was fond of cricket and once had a tussle with Singh's family during a game. Mukhtar's friend was killed, triggering an unending rivalry in the region. The region may be on the boil again if the Mau assembly by-polls are held. I heard the story about the cricket rivalry in 2007, when Mukhtar, his MP brother Afzal Ansari and two other family members were in jail in connection with the Krishnanand Rai murder case. Rai was a close aide of Brijesh Singh and the enmity had led to gang wars and spread to the political arena. Mukhtar Ansari, who mostly remained in jail since 2005, died in prison in March 2024. He had 65 criminal cases lodged against him, including 14 cases of murder. On the other hand, Brijesh Singh was released from jail after 13 years in prison in August, 2022. Mukhtar Ansari belonged to an illustrious family but entered the world of crime at the age of 15. His grandfather Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari was a freedom fighter who is said to have worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi. A row of photographs in Ansari's house in Yusufpur, Mohammadabad, bear testimony to the illustrious legacy. Now with the conviction of Ansari's son Abbas in a 2022 hate speech case and the subsequent disqualification of his membership of the UP assembly, there is intense speculation in the state's political circles about the BJP strategising its first ever win from the Muslim-dominated constituency. Abbas had won the seat in 2022 on the ticket of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), then an ally of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and now a partner of the ruling BJP. Abbas has filed an appeal against the verdict of the MP/MLA court. His uncle Afzal Ansari, an SP MP, is hopeful. 'Yes, the seat has been declared vacant but we are hopeful of justice from the courts as Abbas had said nothing to disturb the communal amity in the area. Along with the appeal, an application has also been filed,' Afzal Ansari said. Since the first election in Mau in 1957 and until 1996, when Mukhtar won the seat for the first time on the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket, nominees from almost all political parties, including the Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), BSP and Janata Party, have represented the constituency in the assembly except for the BJP though the party's fore-runner, the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, had won the seat in 1967. Mukhtar won five consecutive elections until 2017 but, in 2022, Mayawati refused to give him the party ticket. His son Abbas Ansari had then won the seat on the SBSP ticket and stands disqualified today though he is hoping for a reprieve from the courts. Discussions have already started in the public domain about the future of the Ansari family and what will happen if Brijesh Singh's nominee enters the fray. Of the 14 MLAs elected from the Muslim- dominated seat, nine were Muslims. However, the BJP leadership does not fear the community's rejection as the party bagged four Muslim- dominated seats in recent by-polls – Kundarki in Moradabad, Rampur Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats, the stronghold of Azam Khan, and Azamgarh, the seat once held by Mulayam Singh Yadav. For each win, they adopted a different strategy. Asked if the party had started strategising for the Mau seat, BJP's Muslim Morcha president Kunwar Basit Ali said, 'We are also waiting for the court verdict, but the party works round the clock and they always have viable plans.' Mau is known for its saree industry. Some traders hold Mukhtar responsible for Mau's sufferings and many have closed their shops. There are over 50,000 power looms and 80,000 weavers in the area. In 2007, when Mukhtar was alive, they had said that Mukhtar's 'boys' spread rumours and fanned fear every election by claiming that if he loses, Muslims will face a tough time. What now? How BJP won Muslim-dominated seats The BJP had won the Muslim-dominated Kundarki seat after 31 years in November 2024. The BJP's Hindu candidate Ramveer Upadhaya wore a skull cap and had started befriending Muslims much before the elections. He defeated SP nominee Mohammad Rizwan by a huge margin of over 1.28 lakh votes amid allegations of bogus voting. The Muslim vote was divided as upper caste Muslims, mainly Jat, Gujar, Pathan, Syed and Tyagi, mostly businessmen, bought peace for themselves. Similarly, the BJP wrested the prime Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat from the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the 2022 by-poll. Again, they fielded a Hindu candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' who got 3.12 lakh votes, defeating the SP candidate Dharmendra Yadav by about 8000 votes. Playing spoilsport here was the BSP whose Muslim candidate Shah Alam had polled 2.66 lakh votes. The division of votes helped the BJP. In the June 2022 by-poll, the BJP had also won the Rampur Lok Sabha seat followed by their strategic win in the Rampur assembly seats in December 2022 by-poll. One of the assembly seats of Suar was won by its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal). The BJP had never hoisted its flag on the seat since 1952.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
40 Hindu families put up ‘house for sale' posters in Azamgarh after clash
VARANASI: About 40 Hindu families have put up posters displaying "house for sale" in the Muslim-dominated Chhota Pura area of Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district, alleging that they have been facing violence, abuse, and harassment for playing music or DJs during religious and wedding functions. The posters began appearing after a clash between two communities on June 3, police said. Residents from these families alleged that the district administration failed to address their concerns, leaving them with no choice but to sell their homes and relocate. Azamgarh ASP Madhuvan Kumar Singh said, "We have taken note of reports that some families are planning to migrate. We have contacted them and assured them of adequate police presence to ensure their safety. KEY HIGHLIGHTS 40 Hindu families put up 'house for sale' posters in Azamgarh's Muslim-majority Chhota Pura. Residents allege threats and harassment over music during religious and wedding functions. Posters emerged after a June 3 clash between two communities in the area, say police. Families claim officials ignored complaints, forcing them to consider selling their homes. Police assured families of security and promised adequate deployment in the locality.
Spectator
12-06-2025
- Business
- Spectator
How many countries have banned the burqa?
Behind the veil How many countries have banned the burqa? At least 24 have placed some restrictions around the wearing of full-face coverings in public, although in most cases it applies only in public buildings. Interestingly, they encompass liberal democracies and dictatorships, Muslim-dominated and non Muslim-dominated countries. They are: Algeria, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, China, Denmark, France (general ban in public), Gabon, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. In Afghanistan, the wearing of a burqa or niqab (which has a slit for the eyes) is compulsory for women. Degrees of separation Is it still worth going to university? – In 2024 the median salary for graduates of working age was £42,000, up £2,000 from 2023. The median salary for non-graduates was £30,500. – However, graduate salaries have not kept pace with inflation. In 2007 the median graduate salary was £30,000. At 2007 prices the median graduate salary is now £26,500. – 88% of working-age graduates are in employment, compared with 68% of non-graduates. – 68% are in highly skilled employment, compared with 24% of non-graduates. – Students starting a full-time undergraduate course in September will take out an average of £49,470 in student loans. Interest will be levied at the rate of RPI inflation and borrowers will be liable to repay 9% of their salary over £25,000 for up to 40 years. Source: Department for Education Mine own Nigel Farage said a Reform UK government would reopen coal mines. How much coal does the UK produce and how much coal is there potentially to exploit? – In 2024 the UK produced just 107,000 tons of coal, down 99% in ten years. – Yet according to analysis by coal industry trade body Euracoal in 2015 there are 3.56bn tons of known coal resources lying unexploited beneath Britain, with a further 184bn tons estimated to exist. – In 2015, Britain's annual energy consumption – in all forms – was the equivalent of 257m tons. – Therefore, known coal reserves would be sufficient to provide Britain's entire energy needs for just under 14 years, and estimated reserves enough to provide Britain's entire energy needs for around 730 years.
