Muslims question claims of equality, recall demolitions, arrests, waqf disputes, and seek dignity, safety, jobs, and justice beyond staged meetings
LUCKNOW — There seemed to be only a few takers for the carefully planned political event of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Minority Morcha’s “Minority Sneh Swaad” programme, aimed at projecting warmth towards Muslims ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections. Senior leaders, including Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak, shared the stage with select clerics and party figures. The hall was filled, yet the mood outside reflected unease and scepticism.
The event was organised by Kunwar Basit Ali, Uttar Pradesh president of the BJP Minority Morcha. Addressing the gathering, he said Muslims were getting a fair share in government schemes. “People say Muslims are going away from the BJP. That is not true. Muslims are part of every scheme,” he said. He claimed earlier governments used Muslims for votes and did little for their lives.
Party leaders spoke at length about laws and decisions that have deeply affected Muslims. On issues such as the Waqf Act, Triple Talaq, and the NRC, Kunwar Basit Ali said Muslims were “made to understand why these steps were needed”. He also defended action against mosques and dargahs, saying, “Only illegal structures are being targeted.”
Yet many Muslim voices, away from the microphones, told a different story. A madrasa teacher from Barabanki said, “When a mosque wall is pulled down or a dargah is sealed, it shakes our sense of safety. Calling it illegal does not erase the pain.” A small trader from Prayagraj added, “Schemes exist on paper. On the ground, police action and fear decide our daily life.”
Amil Shamsi, vice-president of the Minority Morcha, said opposition parties “provoke Muslims” and claimed, “Today’s Muslims trust only the BJP.” His words drew quiet murmurs among attendees. A young student from Sitapur said, “Trust cannot be demanded. It grows when arrests stop being one-sided and when our names are not treated as suspicion.”
Deputy Chief Minister Pathak accused rival parties of exploiting Muslims. “The BJP has given Muslims their rights,” he said, adding that the meeting allowed Muslim issues to be heard. Yet no open session was held for families affected by recent demolitions or by police cases linked to protests. Several attendees said they were not allowed to speak.
Union Minister Rijiju spoke about unity and harmony. “India’s strength is that people of different faiths live together,” he said. He blamed “those who divide society” for fear among Muslims and repeated the prime minister’s slogan, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.” He also defended the Waqf Bill, saying, “It saved many properties.”
Muslim activists challenge this claim. A waqf caretaker from Lucknow said, “We are in courts every week to save waqf land. If properties were saved, why are so many cases pending?” Families affected by bulldozer action in Muslim localities also questioned the silence. “Our houses were our life’s work,” said a woman from Kanpur. “No scheme rebuilt our dignity.”
Many Muslims present said the outreach looked like a photo event rather than a fruitful exercise. “Real dialogue means standing with us when mobs target our shops and when police pick up our boys first,” said a cleric from eastern UP. “Sweets and speeches cannot replace justice.”
As the election year approaches, Muslims in Uttar Pradesh say they seek safety, equal law, fair policing, and jobs. They say political meetings must move beyond claims and address lived reality. “We want respect as citizens,” said a retired schoolteacher. “Not just invitations before elections.”
