With reference to your editorial on General Election, 1999, permit me to make a few comments with reference to the role of the Muslim community during and after the Election, particularly in UP.
It is not correct to say that the Muslims were 'as loyal to Mulayam Singh Yadav as in the past'. But it is a tribute to their political maturity that they did not discard him altogether. Indeed they supported his party wherever it was in the strongest position to defeat the BJP, exactly as they supported the BSP and the Congress in other places. It is this tactical voting which made the biggest contribution to the loss of nearly 25 seats by the BJP. There were no doubt other factors but division of Muslim vote in the some constituency between three aspirants was not one of them.
A beginning was made to formulate an Agenda and make rational and practical suggestion to all the secular parties and, in fact, some ideas were adopted - not in the measure expected. But the ice has been broken. I do not agree that the Muslim Indians are called upon to 'choose between the two major national parties'. For one thing, neither the INC nor the BJP is a truly national party in terms of social and geographical outreach. Secondly, the next electoral choice may be years away. Thirdly, there are other regional parties in the fray and the spectrum varies from state to state. In some states it likely to remain what it is, INC vs BJP, and the Muslims may have to choose one over the other. In that event, even though the INC was not been as responsive and generous as it could have been, the Muslims have backed the INC. And rightly, because as long as the BJP adheres to the philosophy of Hindutva and Cultural Nationalism, so long as it remains the political front of the RSS whose ideology and long-term mission are a negation of our basic concepts, the BJP and those who seek their fortune opportunistically in alliance with it, shall remain an anathema to the Muslims as to the other citizens committed to secularism and democracy. Wherever there is a choice, the Muslim Indians should vote en masse, at the constituency level, for the strongest secular candidate.
You should not be taken in by the tactical withdrawal of some openly pernicious parts of its real agenda for the sake of gaining electoral support and constituting the electoral alliance. Having gained power, the RSS and the BJP shall continue to work for the realisation of their real agenda. Even some BJP leaders have gone on record to say that they have not changed their ideology nor dropped their agenda and that when they are in a position to form a government on their own, they would implement them. Muslim Indians are not in a state of panic or nurse any senses of defeatism. But they have not and will not give up their quest for equality and justice under the Constitution.
Having said the above, the Muslim Indians, individually and collectively, have to deal with the government irrespective of its ideological label. So I support the idea of a dialogue on the problems facing the community, on question of policy as well as specific issues in the light of the NDA's agenda, the Constitution and the official policy pronouncements, with the Government of the day, but not with the BJP, as a political party. The Government, once established democratically is our Government as much as any one else's. We should speak to it and it should listen to us. But there is no question of paying homage to its ideology – as a dialogue with the BJP would imply.
The problem, however, is to form a representative group to interact with the Government on behalf of the Muslims. Perhaps the five leading Muslim organisations may be persuaded to come together for this purpose.
Muslims and General Election, 1999 Editorial, The News from India
.. The real fight was witnessed in the populous state of Uttar Pradesh with the most 85 parliamentary seats. It was here, where Babari Mosque was razed down by the Hindu hoodlums grouped under Sangh Parivar and led by the BJP, that the Muslim electorate forced their arch enemy, the BJP, to retreat. This time, Muslim voters displayed the height of political maturity. They did not make a 'Mulla' out of Mulayam Singh Yadav or 'Bahenji' of Ms. Mayawati or were awe-struck by Sonia Gandhi. Rather, their choice of the SP, BSP and the Congress in the state was political out and out – tactical that carried the single most motive of defeating the BJP.
It was this that enabled the three to create history of sort in the state. BJP was cut down to size from 58 seats in 1998 poll to just 29 while SP increased its tally from 20 to 26 and the BSP rose to an incredible 14 from just 4 Congress got 10 seats (against) 0 in the last.
Shahabuddin's Response, 18 November, 99
In your editorial in the latest issue, you have advised UP Muslims to stand behind 'a party of their own'. would like to sound a note of caution. It will mean Muslim party to many of your readers.
What Muslims need is not a Muslim party but a non communal Muslim-driven party, committed to secularism democracy and social justice. Only such a party can bargain with other like-minded parties to form viable an winning social combinations. A Muslim party, simply, will not do.