Report: S. Muneer
Dr. Mumtaz Alam Rizvi targets the BJP and Samajwadi Party during a press conference in Aligarh
Aligarh: The Bharatiya Muslim Manch has announced its support for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled for 2027. At a press conference held at the Press Club Aligarh on Sunday, the Manch’s national convener, Dr. Mumtaz Alam Rizvi, released a list of 100 works carried out for the Muslim community during the previous government led by BSP chief Mayawati. He said that the Bharatiya Muslim Manch would work with its body, mind and resources to make Mayawati the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the fifth time.
Dr. Mumtaz Alam Rizvi targeted the BJP and the Samajwadi Party, saying that the people of the state had seen the governments of both parties. He raised questions about the BJP government on issues such as law and order, bulldozer action, alleged fake encounters, corruption and women’s safety. Meanwhile, accusing the previous Samajwadi Party government, he said that incidents of communal riots and violence during its tenure had left the Muslim community disappointed.
He said that between 2007 and 2012, law and order was better under the BSP government led by Mayawati and the administrative system functioned effectively. According to him, several important measures were taken for the Muslim community during that government. These included the establishment of a Minority Commission, the setting up of a university for Urdu, Arabic and Persian, a Minority Finance Corporation, a Haj House, grants to madrasas, the establishment of primary schools in Muslim-majority areas, and scholarships for Muslim girl students.
Dr. Rizvi said that the Muslim community should now reconsider its political strategy. He claimed that Muslim voters had supported the Samajwadi Party in the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections, but the party had been unable to remove the BJP from power. He said that the Bharatiya Muslim Manch believed the BSP should be supported in the upcoming Assembly elections.
At the press conference, a list of 100 works said to have been carried out for the Muslim community during the Mayawati government was also provided to media representatives by the Manch. Dr. Rizvi said that the organisation would launch a public outreach campaign in support of the BSP in the upcoming elections.
Those present on the occasion included Shakil Alam, General Secretary of Western Uttar Pradesh; Advocate Naved Khan, Aligarh Division Convener; Advocate Shabina Nafis, Aligarh District Convener; Advocate Kumari Uzma, Co-Convener; Mohammad Saqib, Aligarh City Convener; and Mohammad Asif Nafis, General Secretary of Aligarh, along with others.