Discussions for the Lok Sabha polls in 2024 initially centered around growth and development; however, the focus has now conspicuously shifted. The discourse has moved towards benefits derived from development, categorized based on religion, caste, and other societal factors. This shift has inadvertently brought religious issues to the forefront of campaign discussions. Sourabh Raaj Jain, anchor of DNA Zed News, analyzed this notable transition of focus in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections from development to religious matters.
Speeches at election rallies have taken a turn as political leaders shift from advocating for general reservations to specific religious reservations. Concerns related to the division of resources and privileges among various faiths have come to the surface. The discourse has now intensified to a point where discussions revolve around an eighty-twenty split, raising questions on the concept of Ghazwa-e-Hind through religious reservation.
This brings us to a more fundamental question: does the Hindu-Muslim divide significantly affect real life, or is it confined merely to electoral politics? Observations suggest that no political party shies away from incorporating religious themes when it comes to politics. An analysis of remarks from different parties shows an apparent trend that religious overtones seem to benefit all political factions during election times.
A recent instance that highlights this shift involves remarks made by BJP leader and Amravati candidate, Navneet Rana. Rana issued a provocative challenge to Akbaruddin Owaisi and his brother Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad. She claimed that the brothers would not know “from where they came and where they went” if the police were removed from duty for just 15 seconds.
“I always stand by my statement. I am not afraid of anyone. We are committed to giving a reply to those who are working for Pakistan in India. If they will take 15 minutes, we will take 15 seconds,” Rana asserted. She was seen reiterating her statement in a video she posted on her X handle, directed at the Owaisi brothers. She said, “The younger brother says, ‘Remove the police for 15 minutes so that we can show them what we can do.’ I want to tell the younger brother (Akbaruddin) that it might take you 15 minutes, but it will only take us 15 seconds.”
Responding to these remarks, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow her one hour instead of 15 seconds and boldly declared that they are not “scared” of the BJP leader. Owaisi said, “I tell Modi ji – give her 15 seconds. What will you do? Give her 15 seconds, give her 1 hour. We, too, want to see if you have any humanity left in you. Who is scared? We are ready.
…If someone is making an open call for it, then so be it. PM is yours; RSS is yours; everything is yours. Do it. Who is stopping you? Tell us where we have to come, we will be there. Do it,” he told the reporters.
This feud traces back to a 2013 meeting where Akbaruddin Owaisi had warned “100 crore Hindus” that his community would demonstrate their strength if the police were withdrawn for ’15 minutes’. The remark by BJP’s Navneet Rana rekindled this controversy, leading to a broader discussion. Madhavi Latha, another BJP candidate for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, attempted to defuse the situation by clarifying the former’s statement. She explained that Rana meant to encourage citizens to take 15 seconds to cast their vote, which she claimed would help the nation move towards ‘Viksit Bharat’.
Speaking to ANI, Madhavi Latha stated, “We do not threaten anyone. We do not say remove the police force for 15 minutes. We just want to communicate that citizens should take 15 seconds instead of 15 minutes and cast their vote. Do not attend provocative speeches. If you want to move towards ‘Viksit Bharat’, go and cast your vote. This is what she (Navneet Rana) meant.”
Asaduddin Owaisi, being a prominent leader of AIMIM and a four-time Lok Sabha member, presents a challenging opponent for the BJP’s Madhavi Latha. Significantly, Latha is the first female candidate fielded by the BJP in the Hyderabad constituency, long controlled by the Owaisi family.
It is important to note that in 2022, despite a 40-day jail sentence resulting from his 2013 speech, Akbaruddin was exonerated of all charges by the Sessions Court. This acquittal was due to the lack of substantial evidence, with allegations aimed at the police for providing biased evidence to protect Akbaruddin. The High Court continues to investigate the case.
A curious observation remains as to why Barrister Owaisi did not bring up his acquittal amid the current controversies. Perhaps, the reemergence of an eleven-year-old enmity does not affect him as significantly anymore.
(With inputs from ANI)
