Ditched by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with which he had a long association, the party’s councillor Tahir Hussain was picked by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) to be its nominee from Delhi’s Mustafabad constituency for the February 5 assembly elections. Hussain, incarcerated under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the 2020 Delhi riots cases, was suspended from the AAP after he was accused of playing a role in the killing of IB official Ankit Sharma and orchestrating riots which erupted after ruthless attack on anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protesters in the northeast Delhi.
Hussain, his family members, and his home were targeted by the rioting mob, but the AAP leader was arrested after being named in 12 riot-related cases. The former councillor maintained that he was rescued from his home by the police amid large-scale violence, a day before Sharma was killed. Despite a senior police official corroborating Hussain’s narrative, he was arrested as a rioter and AAP distanced away from him by suspending him from the party.
With Hussain languishing in jail for about five years, the AIMIM has decided to field him from the predominantly Muslim constituency of Mustafabad.
In an interview with Waquar Hasan/Clarion India, Hussain’s wife Shama Anjum talks about the elections, her husband, and the charges levelled against him. She asserted that her husband was implicated in the false cases for political reasons and he would be honourably acquitted of all charges.
How did Tahir Hussain decide to contest elections from behind the bars?
It was Tahir Hussain’s decision himself. It was also our decision and the people of Mustafabad. The people of Mustafabad asked him to contest the elections and they will make him win, in sha Allah (God willing).
Tahir Hussain was associated with AAP and was the party’s councillor. Why did he not get a chance from the AAP? Why chose AIMIM?
Arvind Kejriwal Ji (AAP supremo) had distanced himself away from us when the tragedy struck us. Nobody stood by us. It’s only AIMIM which stood shoulder to shoulder with us. They stood by us at our difficult times and would keep supporting us, in sha Allah. AIMIM fights for truth and justice. They are also fighting for us. This is why we chose the AIMIM.
How is your experience with the election campaign?
Tahir Ji is now in jail. Had he been out, he would have campaigned himself. It would also be good if he had been with us. My family, my son and everybody else from the family and friends are campaigning. The people of Mustafabad are with us. We will not leave any stone unturned. The people of Mustafabad will fight the election for us and make us win.
What are the issues for the people of Mustafabad in this election?
My husband was a councillor for this area. He had done very good work and extended a helping hand to all the distressed people. He stood by the oppressed and the marginalised. He had also done exemplary developmental work. Everyone knows that Tahir Hussain is a gentleman and a good human being. He walked step by step along with people. He had never discriminated on the basis of Hindu and Muslim. Everyone is supporting us. In sha Allah, we shall fight and we shall win. If elected, Tahir Hussain will do more developmental work. And that is a solemn promise.
Tahir Hussain was accused of playing a role in the killing of IB official Ankit Sharma and orchestrating riots in 2020. What do you have to say about it?
All these allegations are false. My husband can never carry out such things. The man who can’t kill even an ant, how can he carry out riots? He always maintained brotherhood and communal harmony. He never discriminated based on Hindu or Muslim. He cannot carry out such things. He is innocent and has been implicated wrongly. I was with him when the riots erupted. I’m witness to what had happened. He was pleading with leaders of all political parties telling them that he and his family were in danger. He was calling everyone. He had also dialled 100. He was seeking help from everyone. But no one received his call. He kept making calls till the evening. He was extremely distressed. He was himself a victim of riots.
My husband is not the one who can indulge in rioting. He is a gentleman and a good human being. Around 250-300 workers were employed in our factory. These workers were from both communities, Hindus and Muslims. He had been with them around the clock. He did not discriminate. He used to behave well with all of them. Had he scolded any worker, he would not rest unless he would pacify him. How can a man who did not kill an ant carry out such things? False allegations were levelled against him. All these charges are false. My husband is innocent. He is being punished for being a gentleman. We are also punished for our goodness. He would be acquitted of all charges.
Do you think these allegations may create hurdles for Tahir Hussain in the elections?
Absolutely not. All the people of Mustafabad and the whole country know that my husband is innocent. He has been implicated. Everyone knows that an innocent man is being punished for five years. The whole country is aware that false allegations were levelled against my husband. He was himself a victim of riots.
Why is he not able to get bail so far?
He has been named in 12 cases. Our applications are being heard in the court. We have full faith in our judiciary. He was granted bail in nine cases. He will soon get bail in the remaining three. My husband will get justice, in sha Allah. We have faith and hope. He is getting justice and continues to get it. He will be honorably acquitted.
How has been your life for the last five years with Tahir Hussain being in jail?
You can understand how it feels when the husband is not around. How does it impact on our children when the head of our house is not with us? What does our family go through? Our source of livelihood was destroyed. The education of our children has been lost. I cannot express what we have been going through for the last five years. We have been worried for five years. Everyone knows that. You can understand what is the life of a wife and her children without her husband.
My husband is called a rioter and a mastermind of riots. My husband is not a rioter but a victim of riots.
What is your message for the people of Mustafabad?
I want to tell the people of Mustafabad that they know my husband as an innocent man. They themselves say that he is innocent. People are making my husband contest the elections and will make him win it. We shall fight and win.
When you talk to your husband Tahir Hussain, what are the issues he discusses?
He is concerned about the people of Mustafabad. He used to think about carrying out developmental works in the constituency. He used to think about resolving the issues of the people of Mustafabad. He would do whatever he could. He would spend for people from his own pocket. He is still concerned about the people of Mustafabad. He has appealed to the people not to shake his faith and commitment. He has faith that people will make him win. And, he will soon come out of jail.
