With the AIMIM keen on expanding its base and reach among Muslims in India, there is a feeling in the Samajwadi Party that the party must renew its efforts to maintain its hold in the community.

Lucknow: The determination of the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh to not allowing any other political outfit to woo the Muslim community has reached a critical – almost panic-driven – level. By refusing to grant permission to the All India Majlis Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) to hold a rally in UP at least five times as many months, the Akhilesh Yadav government has betrayed its uncertainty over support from the Muslim community.

AIMIM leader and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi visited Lucknow last July to attend a private function, and some guests privy to a discussion with him said that a membership drive had started soon after. Owaisi himself was scheduled to address meetings at several places in the state.

However, the state government has refused to grant permission to AIMIM to hold public meeting on at least five occasions since then. Of these, two were to be held in Azamgarh district and others at Meerut, Allahabad and Agra on 29 March. Every time permission was initially granted, but later withdrawn on the apprehension of breach of peace and communal harmony.

A report from Agra said that district AIMIM president Mohammad Idris Ali had approached the High Court to seek a reply from the administration to explain the reason for the cancellation of the rally in Agra. He said that the party had been granted permission on 20 February for the Agra rally, but it was cancelled on 20 March. A district administration official was quoted as saying that the permission was withdrawn following intelligence reports that law and order situation could be disturbed after Owaisi’s speech. It is learnt that an application would be submitted to Agra administration again for Owaisi’s rally on 3 May.

AIMIM state convenor Shaukat Ali alleged that the Agra administration had acted upon instructions received from the state government in the state, and “especially senior minister Mohammad Azam Khan.” He added that the manner in which the permission was first granted and then withdrawn “is a clear sign that Samajwadi Party is scared of AIMIM entering UP.”

In early March, the Allahabad administration had cancelled permission granted earlier for Owaisi's meeting scheduled for 15 March, on the grounds of “opposition by the public” and board examinations. The AIMIM had held its first rally in Maharajganj district in which Owaisi was not present. It was addressed by party’s Hyderabad MLA Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri.

On many occasions, Owaisi has spoken about the status of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. On one occasion he had expressed a desire to adopt the Muslim-dominated Sanjarpur village in Azamgarh district. This village had hit the headlines because two men from the village were among those killed in the Batla House encounter in Delhi in 2008.

In another statement, Owaisi had urged the state government to “immediately” file an appeal against the Delhi Court verdict in the Hashimpura massacre case in which all 16 accused PAC personnel had been acquitted. He had described the verdict as “a grave miscarriage of justice.”

With the AIMIM keen on expanding its base and reach among Muslims in India, there is a feeling in the Samajwadi Party that the party must renew its efforts to maintain its hold in the community. Besides AIMIM, another party Majlis-e-Ulema-e-Hind floated by Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, the All-India Sunni Ulema Council and the Peace Party are also known to be preparing to contest the 2017 assembly election.

“Despite its proclamations of being a well-wisher of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party is scared of allowing any other party to appeal to the minority community,” said a Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

RK Singh, a Samajwadi Party spokesman, said the Akhilesh Yadav government had initiated several schemes for the welfare of all communities and there was nothing to be scared about. But, by refusing to allow AIMIM leaders to even address the people of Uttar Pradesh, the thinking within the SP appears to be otherwise.