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| Muslim community redefines |
| The BJP's controversial UP election CD has once again slotted Muslims in a certain image - rabid and fundamentalist
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| INDIA
, 10-April-2007
3:7:52 AM |
| But imperceptibly the community is redefining itself and while there's not enough economic impulses driving this as the Sachar Committee report has noted those who have benefited are leading this change.
Yakub Qureshi, a lower caste Muslim has been challenging the established Muslim leadership in mainstream political parties.
Why he is able to do it is the key question. He is contesting from two constituencies in Meerut and both go to polls on April 13.
"This is not a political issue. This is a matter of my religion and self-respect. Who engineered this conspiracy? It was America and Israel," said Yakub Qureshi, Minister Haj and Minority Affairs.
Cartoon controversy
And exactly a year after the controversy on the offensive cartoon of the Prophet rocked the world, Haji Yakub Qureshi remained unrepentant.
Qureshi had promised Rs 51 crore to anyone who killed the Danish cartoonist.
So who exactly is this man? Today, one of Western UP's most influential Muslim leaders, Qureshi is a political maverick.
Starting off as an ordinary Congress worker and ending with his own political formation, his loyalties have always been fluid, from Ram Vilas Paswan, VP Singh and Ajit Singh.
Two years ago, Qureshi walked out of the BSP along with a contingent of some 30 BSP MLAs and joined the Samajwadi Party, becoming minister for Minorities Welfare and Haj.
Two months ago he floated his own party, the United Democratic Front, but he refused to resign from the cabinet.
He remains a fierce Mulayam critic and knows the CM cannot afford to throw him out.
"When I joined the government I felt this government would do something for dalits, backwards, minorities. But this government is pure drama. Only announcements, fraud talks about development. Not a single promise has been implemented," said Yakub Qureshi, Minister Haj and Minority Affairs.
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