Muslim youths in Surat East constituency, where AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi addressed a public gathering, showed black flags as protest. Some even chanted ‘Modi, Modi’ when he went on the stage.
Owaisi was in Surat to campaign for Surat East candidate of AIMIM ahead of state assembly elections. As per local media reports, Owaisi had arrived there late evening on Sunday to campaign for Wasim Qureshi. He even addressed a public gathering for the same. However, as soon as he got on to the stage, some Muslim youth who were present in the rally, showed him black flags and protested against him. Some even chanted pro-Modi chants in the rally. They even chanted ‘wapis jao, wapis jao’ (go back) chants for Owaisi.
Prior to that, in Ahmedabad’s Danilimda area, where Owaisi has fielded Kaushik Parmar, the AIMIM chief skipped the public rally. Danilimda is an SC reserved seat. On Saturday, Owaisi was to address a public gathering in Danilimda. However, the same was later called off. Sabir Kabliwala, AIMIM chief in Gujarat had said that Owaisi skipped the rally because of ‘backache’. However, just next day he was addressing a rally in Surat East.
This is not the first time Owaisi has faced opposition in Gujarat, especially from Muslim residents. In May this year, when he was in Surat, many people of Muslim community had opposed him.
In Surat’s Mitha Khadi area, local Muslim residents had shown flags to Owaisi to oppose him.
Surat East constituency
Surat East area is where Gopipura area situated which has significant Muslim population. Some parts of the constituency has the Disturbed Areas Act in place which was brought in to prevent polarisation of communities and demography change. The Surat Municipal Corporation building where the waqf recently staked claim, that is also in Surat East area. Earlier this year, OpIndia had reported how Gopipura, where most residents were of Jain community, has seen demography change and many such apartments are being sold on lower than market rate because most Jain residents want to leave.
In 2014, a Jain Sadhvi who stayed in Surat’s Gopipura area wrote a letter to President of India, Governor of Gujarat, Prime Minister Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel and other leaders about the harassment she was facing in Gopipura, a traditionally Jain locality in Surat, which has slowly turned into a Muslim majority area. In the letter, the Sadhvi had written how near the Upashrays where Jain Sadhvis stay in Gopipura, there are around 25 Jain temples and 35 Upashrays within a 1 km radius. About 70-80 Jain Sadhvis were staying in this place. The Sadhvi pointed out that slowly the area has seen more and more Muslim residents come and live there.
The Sadhvi in her letter had stated that God has made all living beings the same but Muslims have very ‘tamsic and janooni‘ (aggressive, to put it mildly) and the Sadhu-Mahatma are facing difficulties. “Some Muslim families keep 4-5 cats and goats. Near Sulasa Shravika Aaradhana Bhawan, a Muslim family that has come to stay has tied two goats. These goats can be heard crying in middle of the night because of cold. This pains me too much. I have grown up being kind to animals and this kind of suffering of theirs is very painful for me,” she said.
Of total voters, about 77,365 voters are of Muslim community in Surat East while Hindu voters are 35,427. Interestingly, despite being Muslim majority area, the BJP has managed to win this seat over the years since 1990 – except for 2002 when Congress’ Manish Gilitwala won. Political analysts say that this is because the majority of the Muslim residents here belong to the business-class Bohra community who just want peace and want to make their own living. Bohra/Vohra community voters prefer to vote for the BJP which promises conducive environment for thriving business.
Dani Limda constituency
Dani Limda is another Muslim-dominated area. However, this is a reserved seat and only a member of the Scheduled Caste can contest from this seat. Here about 50% voters are Muslims and has significant population of people from Dalit community. This area is also considered a communally sensitive area and the Disturbed Areas Act is in place here.
It is notable that Shah Alam area in Ahmedabad falls under the Dani Limda constituency and during the anti-CAA violence, this area saw some of the worst communal riots where even policemen were attacked by rioting mob consisting mostly of people belonging to Muslim community.
Investigation had revealed how local Muslim leaders including a corporator were involved in the violence.
It is also believed many illegal Bangladeshis live in this area, especially near the Chandola lake area. During the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts, many bombs had gone off in this area and accused were found living in this area. Indian Mujahideen terrorists who planted the bombs lived in the Dani Limda society and many provocative speeches were given to the Muslim youth to join the terror ranks.
Currently, Congress’ Shailesh Parmar is the MLA. Local residents believe Parmar has the patronage of local Muslim leader Nawab Khan’s family. One of his relatives, Shehzad Khan Pathan is also a corporator here. Localites believes that if the seat were not a reserved seat, Pathan would have been the MLA. However, due to the reservation, they have extended support to Parmar instead.
