Phase 5: Parties focus on weavers’ zone
WEAVING HOPES Political parties are wooing weavers with promises as they know the community’s vote is crucial to win the election
Abdul Ansari, 65, of Bairampur village near Khalilabad town, is worried over the fall in sale of textile products, erratic power supply and his inability to change the rickety handloom.
This is not a case in isolation as majority of weavers settled in Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, Basti, Balrampur, Bahraich and Siddharthnagar districts – known as ‘weaver zone’ of east UP – have similar stories to tell.
“Closure of spinning mills, hike in the price of raw material and erratic power supply has pushed us into poverty,” said Mohammad Inayatullah, a resident of Ashrafabad village.
“A large numbers of youths have migrated to Maharashtra and Delhi in search of jobs. Financial aid, marketing of products, regular power supply and modern power looms will definitely revive textile sector,” said village head Mohammad Sadatullah.
Political parties are wooing weavers with new promises as they know the community’s vote is crucial to win the election.
“We have given opportunity to the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party in the past. In the 2012 assembly election, the weavers expressed faith in Peace Party chief Dr Mohammad Ayub,” Sadatullah said.
“Ayub emerged as the leader of weavers’ community. Not only Peace Party made inroads into the Muslim vote bank of SP, BSP and Congress but also won four assembly seats. Five years have passed but there has been no change in our condition,” said Sadatullah.
Dr Ayub is in the fray again but the Peace Party does not seem to be on a strong footing. Registration of case has added to the woes of Ayub.
Peace Party has entered into an alliance with the Rashtriya Nishad Ekta Party led by Dr Sanjay Kumar Nishad to win backward community votes.
“No doubt he (Ayub) mobilised weavers in the last election but he did not come up with a solution to our plight. He should have raised the issue of restarting of closed spinning mills with the chief minister but running a private medical college remained his priority,” said Irfan Ansari, a resident of Naurav village. Candidates fielded by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are also eating into the vote bank of Peace Party.
The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have also fielded Muslim candidates on majority of the seats in the weaver-dominated area.
Large crowd, especially the youth, are attending the meetings organised by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
On Khalilabad seat, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen candidate Tasirullah is challenging Dr Ayub while in Menhdawal, Mohammad Tabish Khan has been pitted against Mohammad Irfan of Peace Party.
In the meetings, Owaisi has been raising the issue of the neglect of weavers and killing of Muslims in Muzaffarnagar riots.
Addressing public meetings in Siddharthnagar, Ambedkar Nagar, Basti and Bahraich, BSP chief Mayawati assured all assistance to weavers.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath is holding public meetings as the party is banking on the support of upper caste and backward community voters.
To counter Mayawati, Yogi and Owaisi, the Samajwadi Party has organised public meetings of Azam Khan in all the districts. Khan claimed the BSP might form the government again with the support of Bharatiya Janata Party.
“Mayawati has campaigned for Modi in the Gujarat assembly election,” he said.
Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav also highlighted the projects and schemes launched by his government for the welfare of weavers’ community in public meetings.