PTI, GORAKHPUR: Many Muslims in eastern UP may not want to vote for the BJP but they face a dilemma over choosing between the SP-BSP alliance and the Congress.
Though some members of the community speak in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development carried out in Gorakhpur, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s bastion, they harbour a sense of insecurity.
Mufti Mohammed Waliullah, who leads prayers at Gorakhpur’s biggest mosque, said the Muslims are not “unanimous” over their choice of parties.
“Less literate Muslims will vote for the ‘mahagathbandhan’ (the opposition alliance) and the educated will vote as per their understanding,” he said.
Waliullah expressed anguish over the BJP questioning the nationalism of Muslims, reminding that the community is indigenous to India.
“Only a few Muslim clerics visited India and people who lived in the country adopted Islam. India is our country,” he said.
Muslims account for about 10 per cent of population in Gorakhpur, which will go to the polls on May 19, along which other 12 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
The Gorakhnath temple headed by Adityanath is in a locality dominated by Muslims. The temple employs people from the minority community.
In 2014, the BJP had got 233 out of 330 votes polled at a booth from where from Adityanath votes.
