IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Feb 4: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind on Saturday appealed to people to choose good candidates with clean character in assembly elections in five states and ignore calls of the politicians seeking votes on the basis of religion and caste divisions.
Without naming any party or alliance, Jamaat asked people in five states to defeat communal forces who are making attempts to divide the society.
“The people of the country should thwart the attempts of communal forces aiming to divide the electorate in the assembly elections in Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Uttar Pradesh by coming out in large numbers and voting decisively for secular candidates with clean character,” said leaders of Jamaat while addressing their monthly press conference here on Saturday.
“The divisive forces are trying to create communal polarization in different parts of the country so that they will be able to attract voters on emotive issues and not on the basis of serious concerns and problems being faced by the common people like demonetization, poverty, corruption, inflation, unemployment…”, said Jamaat.
In Punjab and Goa, the elections are being held today; and in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur elections are scheduled on other dates of Feb-March. The first phase of election in Uttar Pradesh will be held on 11th February covering the western region of the state.
Jamaat said people should not succumb to propaganda of hate-mongers.
“The electorate must ignore the calls made by politicians seeking votes on the basis of religion and caste divisions. They must not succumb to the propaganda of hate-mongers and should reject the candidates who want to win elections on the basis of money and muscle power,” it said.
“Jamaat-e-Islami Hind appeals to all to defeat communal-fascist powers. Secular vote should not be divided. This is not just for Muslims but for all people to choose good candidates,” said Jamaat’s Secretary General Mohammad Salim Engineer while addressing the press conference at Jamaat’s headquarters in Delhi.
Replying to a question on the SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Syed Jalaluddin Umari, President of Jamaat, said: “Though Samajwadi Party (SP) did not fulfill all its promises but this is the time to check fascist forces.”
“A majority of Muslims seemed to be in support of SP-Congress alliance. But there are such consistencies in Uttar Pradesh too where the candidates contesting election from (Bahujan Samaj Party) BSP and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are better,” he said.
