Kolkata, March 25 – Alleging that the TMC has gained votes from Muslim voters but has not provided adequate support to the community, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday claimed that Mamata Banerjee's politics have inadvertently benefited the BJP in West Bengal.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Owaisi stated that the people of Bengal feel marginalized, and his party, in collaboration with Humayun Kabir's AJUP, aims to provide an alternative and establish independent political leadership for Muslims.
He questioned, "Approximately 5 lakh OBC certificates were cancelled. Many of those belonged to Muslims. Is this not a significant issue?"
He further asked, "What is the representation of Muslims in government employment? Only 7 percent. How many Muslim children are not enrolled in school? How many Muslim boys and girls are unable to complete their education?"
Owaisi alleged that symbolic gestures by the ruling party have not translated into real development for the community in the state.
He questioned, "When offering prayers on Eid, does that fill my stomach? Does it light a lamp in my house? Does it ensure my children have a good future?"
Owaisi claimed that Banerjee's politics had indirectly helped the BJP expand its presence in the state.
"When did the BJP win three MLAs in Bengal? In 2016, right? Now they have 77 MLAs. Did I make them win? Am I so powerful that I influenced the BJP's growth?" he said.
Owaisi alleged that AIMIM's alliance with AJUP aims to protect vulnerable sections in the state and empower them.
He also stated that this alliance would strengthen the political leadership of Muslims in the state.
Kabir, who formed AJUP after being suspended from the TMC amidst controversy over his proposal for a mosque in Murshidabad, said the alliance plans to contest 182 seats in the 294-member assembly.
He claimed that the alliance could be decisive if the elections result in a fractured mandate.
"This alliance will never break. Whatever decision my elder brother (Owasi) makes and whatever direction he gives, I will follow it in the coming days," Kabir said.
Owaisi argued that states where Muslims lack independent political leadership tend to have poor development indicators.
"In my opinion, all empirical data, whether from the West Bengal government, the Government of India, or the NSSO, show that in states where the Muslim minority does not have independent political leadership, their social, economic, and human development indicators are very poor," he said.
He added, "There is a direct connection between independent political leadership and socio-economic development."
Owaisi alleged that arsenic-contaminated groundwater has affected Malda and Murshidabad districts despite years of support for the TMC.
"Go to Malda and Murshidabad. The underground water there contains arsenic levels worse than those set by the World Health Organization. These problems are directly linked to political leadership," he said.
Owaisi also dismissed the argument that Muslims are adequately represented within the TMC.
"Some people say there are many Muslims in the TMC. Yes, there are, but that is anonymous leadership. What we want is leadership with a voice and a name," he said, invoking BR Ambedkar.
Owaisi also referred to Banerjee's earlier political positions.
"When Gujarat was burning, with whom were they sitting? With whom were they sitting?" he asked, referring to the TMC's past association with the NDA.
He further claimed to have witnessed Banerjee raising the issue of infiltration in Parliament during the mid-2000s.
"There is a video, go and see it. Between 2004 and 2009, I saw Mamata Banerjee throwing a file on infiltration on the table of the deputy speaker," he claimed.
Recalling the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram in 2007, Owaisi said he had personally visited the area during that time.
"Do you know who took us from the airport to Nandigram? Suvendu (Adhikari). We had to travel by motorcycle and even jump off several times because the Left cadres were throwing bombs," he claimed.
"If I were so pure and good then, how did I suddenly become bad today," he asked.
Taking aim at both the TMC and the BJP, Owaisi said Muslims in the state feel politically trapped.
"Our situation is like an Urdu saying, 'phans gayi Razia gundo mein'. We are trapped between two sides," he said.
"People are feeling suffocated in the present political environment. They do not have a clear and strong option, and that is what we are going to present," he added.
Polling for the 294-member assembly is scheduled on April 23 and April 29, with counting on May 4.