From the Urdu Press: ‘In Rae Bareli, Amethi, Congress takes charge of story’, ‘Muslim quota needed on backwardness’
By the end of polling on Tuesday, covering 93 constituencies across 11 states and UTs, more than half of the country’s total seats would have wrapped up polling. Fears of “change in the Constitution” and “reservation quotas” remained the main theme in this phase, whose seats were swept by the BJP in the 2019 polls. The twin issues also dominated the coverage of the Urdu dailies over the week, which also captured the suspense and drama surrounding the declaration of Congress candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli, which went down to the wire.
INQUILAB
Commenting on the Congress’s decision to field Rahul Gandhi from the Rae Bareli seat and veteran party worker and Gandhi family loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma from the Amethi constituency, the New Delhi edition of Inquilab, in its editorial on May 4, notes that the party did so on the very last day of filing of nominations. With all eyes were on these Uttar Pradesh seats, known as traditional Gandhi family bastions, it says. “A range of speculations were doing the rounds about their candidates. It was claimed that while Rahul will again contest from Amethi (where he lost in 2019 to BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani), Priyanka Gandhi will be fielded from their mother Sonia Gandhi’s Rae Bareli seat.”
The editorial points out that there was also buzz about reasons behind the delay in the Congress naming candidates from the two high-profile seats. “It was claimed that both Rahul and Priyanka were not willing to contest. Rahul was said to be in a fix since he is also fighting from Kerala’s Wayanad seat and that, in the event of a win from both seats, it would be difficult for him to leave one of them,” the edit says, adding that the two Gandhi siblings were also said to be reluctant to contest the polls simultaneously as it would give more ammunition to the BJP to attack the Congress over dynasty politics.
The daily says the Congress however sprang a surprise by naming Rahul’s candidature from Rae Bareli and Sharma’s from Amethi. “The delay might have been part of a deliberate Congress strategy to keep the suspense alive and its rival guessing, galvanise the party rank and file there, and force the usually pro-establishment media to keep the spotlight on the party and its leaders till the end,” it writes. “From this angle, it can be said that the Congress has learnt the art of hogging the limelight and controlling the narrative.”
SIASAT
Referring to the row amid the poll campaign over quota being extended to certain Muslim groups under the backward class (BC) category in a few states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the Hyderabad-based Siasat, in its leader on May 3, writes that reservation in government jobs and education was envisaged as an affirmative action for socially and economically backward sections to ensure their right to equal opportunities. “In the country, Muslims account for the most backward and vulnerable community. This is not a claim made by any politician, but the conclusion reached by the Justice Sachar Committee constituted by the previous Manmohan Singh government,” the editorial says. It notes that the then Y S R Reddy-led Congress government in undivided Andhra Pradesh had provided 4% reservation for several backward Muslim groups under the BC category, which has been continuing in both Andhra and Telangana despite the matter facing multiple challenges in various courts.
The editorial adds that the BJP has always opposed reservation for Muslims despite the community being the “most deserving” of it on account of its social and economic backwardness. “In its election campaign now, the BJP has been trying to drive a wedge between Muslims and the SC/ST/OBC communities,” it states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have asserted in their speeches that they will not allow Muslim reservation, charging that it was given to the minority community by cutting the SC/ST/OBC quotas, the edit says. “The fact remains that reservation has not been extended to Muslims in these states from the share of any other backward or weaker community, but on the same criteria of social, economic, educational backwardness applied to other groups.”
The daily writes that a Sangh Parivar section has been known for its position against reservation, which, raked up by the Opposition, has caused some concerns among the vulnerable groups. “The reservation regime in the country has been enshrined in the Constitution. Some BJP leaders have however talked about changing the Constitution, which has fuelled disquiet among these communities. The BJP is targeting the Muslim community to reach out to these groups and polarise the polls.”
URDU TIMES
The Mumbai-based Urdu Times, in its editorial on May 2, writes that it is a matter of concern that despite reaching its peak, the general elections of the world’s largest democracy have still remained devoid of genuine public issues. “Several burning issues including bijli, sadak, paani, education, health, jobs, inflation and women safety have been missing from the poll discourse. The proper price for farmers’ crops and the welfare of young soldiers have not been taken up too,” it says, adding that the arc of the poll campaign seems to have been warped.
The daily charges that the BJP has been at the forefront of diverting public attention from real issues. “This has resulted in matters like the Gandhi family, Congress manifesto, people’s non-vegetarian diet, mangalsutra and Hindu-Muslim issues dominating the campaign scene. PM Modi has kept the focus on targeting the Gandhi family. And, in Maharashtra, he referred to NCP chief Sharad Pawar as a bhatakti aatma (wandering soul),” it says. “Hitting back at Modi’s jibe, Pawar said he has been restless for the cause of people and farmers. Pawar also recalled how Modi had once said that he got the former’s guidance when he entered politics.”
The editorial says that the use of such words for political opponents during canvassing betrays lack of civility and grace, which is also injurious to the health of a democracy. “For the ruling party, elections mark the occasion to present its report card to voters. And if even after ruling for 10 years, the incumbent is resorting to non-issues to deflect attention, then it would only hurt public interest,” the edit adds.
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