Discrimination against Muslims continues in India’s Lok Sabha elections
New Delhi: In India, the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections are being started from tomorrow (Friday), however, for the first time in twenty years, all major parties, including the Hindutva Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies, continuing to discriminate against Muslims, have given them the lowest party tickets.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Lok Sabha elections have badly exposed all political parties of India claiming to be secular. For the first time, Muslims have been given the least number of tickets by all the major political parties and their allies in the Lok Sabha elections.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has given party tickets to only two Muslims. The Congress party has not fielded a single Muslim candidate in 10 major states, including Jharkhand and Gujarat. Although the Congress has given a maximum number of tickets to Muslims in West Bengal, it is not easy for a Muslim candidate to win here because of the tough competition.
Party tickets have been given to Muslims on weak seats only to fulfill the formality. According to Pew Research, the population of Muslims in India was about 15 per cent in 2020 and Muslims should be given about 82 seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament, in proportion to the population.
According to the political justice in the preamble of the Indian Constitution, 25 percent (131) seats in the Parliament are reserved for Dalits and Tribals. Only about 30 seats have been given.
In 2004, 34 Muslim MPs won. In 2009, this number further reduced to 30 and in 2014, only 22 Muslims and 27 Muslims in 2019 managed to reach the Indian Parliament. There is clear evidence of India being a Hindutva country instead of being a secular country where there is no place for Muslims.
