Omprakash Tiwari, Mumbai. Local body elections are generally fought on the basic amenities of common citizens. But this time the election of Mumbai Municipal Corporation, the financial capital of the country, hinges on Mamu, Burkewali and Mamdani instead of roads, drains and clean water.
While Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) are trying to garner votes by wooing Muslim voters, the BJP-led alliance wants to corner Shiv Sena (UBT) on this issue and garner votes from Hindus.
A few days ago, AIMIM leader Waris Pathan started a new debate by saying that when someone who says 'I love Mahadev' can become the mayor of Mumbai, then why can't someone who says 'I love Mohammed' and someone who wears a 'hijab' become the mayor of Mumbai.
When there was no reaction from Shiv Sena (UBT) on this statement of Pathan, then BJP seized it and made it an issue that Uddhav Thackeray heir does not want to anger Muslims by responding to Pathan's statement.
Earlier, BJP had been cornering Congress Muslim leader Rashid Mamu in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar after Uddhav Thackeray himself included him in his party. These days, BJP has given a new name to Uddhav Thackeray as 'Uddhav Mamu'. Amidst this debate, when the new Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, took the oath of office by placing his hand on the Quran, Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh in Mumbai gave a new signal by saying that the Mayor of Mumbai should be like Zohran Mamdani.
On this, Mumbai BJP President Amit Satam cornered Aslam Shaikh by saying that is the same Mamdani who supports Umar Khalid who said Bharat will be broken into pieces, and against whom a case has been registered under UAPA?
Aslam Sheikh is the MLA from Malvani area in Mumbai, where BJP minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha has been accusing for a long time of systematic settlement of Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims. Now Amit Satam has also said that the Muslim population in Malad-Malvani area has increased by 10,000 in just four months.
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya also blames the increase in Muslim population in Mumbai. Quoting a report by the prestigious educational and research institute Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Somaiya had said a few days ago that in 1961, the Muslim population in Mumbai was only eight percent, which increased to 21 percent in 2011, and by 2051 this population will reach 30 percent.
Somaiya alleges that efforts are being made to change the demography of Mumbai in a planned manner. Due to this population of Muslims, Muslim voters play a decisive role in about 60 out of 227 wards of Mumbai. Due to which 31 Muslim candidates from all major parties won the 2017 BMC elections.
These included 11 candidates from Congress, seven from Samajwadi Party and three from AIMIM. This time Shiv Sena (UBT) can also make a big dent in Muslim votes. Because in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections also, it got good support from Muslim voters.