Nagina: It’s past 11 pm, but this roadside pizza outlet in a small town called Dhampur is buzzing with people—mostly Muslim women. No, it’s not Eid and it’s not because of the election either. It’s the change that women, and men, Hindus, and Muslims, are experiencing across western Uttar Pradesh—the absence of fear of stepping out at night. The darkness that would earlier descend on people’s minds as evening came is being replaced by the confidence among families and friends that it’s safe to be out of home now.
“A few years ago, we couldn’t think of going out in the evening. We were not safe, and our parents would worry about our safety. But things are changing now. We convince them that we will come back safely,” said 26-year-old Anjum Khatoon, enjoying a slice of pizza with her four friends at ‘Biggies Pizza’, located across the BJP’s local unit office. After finishing their meal, the women took selfies standing next to the lightning trees, and posted the pictures on Instagram. “This is a huge change with women at the centre of it. Our leaving the house at night says a lot about the security situation,” Najma, a friend of Khatoon, said. All the women were dressed in a burqa.
The government of Yogi Adityanath is coming true on its claim of improving the law and order situation. Even Muslims, who aren’t considered natural voters of the BJP, are grudgingly acknowledging that incidents of snatching, looting, and molestation have reduced, and women are able to go out, including at night.
But the community still won’t vote for the party.
“Suraksha to badhi hai lekin fir bhi BJP ko vote dena hamare imaan ke khilaaf hoga kyunki wo hamare dharm par hamla karte hain (The law and order situation has definitely improved but voting for BJP would go against our integrity as they target our religion),” said Mohammad Murshaleen, who is in his fifties and lives in Bandukhedi village in Kairana district, near the UP-Haryana border.
A few years ago, we couldn’t think of going out in the evening. We were not safe, and our parents would worry about our safety. But things are changing now. We convince them that we will come back safely
— 26-year-old Anjum Khatoon
Murshaleen was at the receiving end of the ‘old culture’ in 2019 when some snatchers at the village chowkmisbehaved with him and took away his phone. “Things have changed now. Crime hasn’t ended completely, but the fear of leaving the house in the evening has definitely ended. Now, sisters and daughters also feel safe,” he said, sitting at a tea stall taking a sip.
In western UP, Muslims have traditionally voted either for the Samajwadi Party (SP) or the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The region has 27 Lok Sabha seats where voting will be held in three phases. Dhampur town is part of the Scheduled Caste-reserved Nagina constituency, where the SP has fielded Manoj Kumar, BSP Surendra Pal Singh, and BJP Om Kumar. In Kairana, the SP candidate is 28-year-old London-educated Iqra Hasan. The third generation politician will be up against BJP incumbent Pradeep Chaudhary and BSP’s Sripal Singh. While the BJP has made law and order an election issue, the Opposition is highlighting the threat to the Constitution.
For the Muslim community though, the BJP isn’t a choice.
“We are opposing the BJP as they are against our religion. They bulldoze our masjids, which cannot be tolerated. Kudrat har zulm ki saja deti hai (Nature punishes every crime),” Murshaleen said in a grief-stricken voice.
The law and order situation has definitely improved but voting for BJP would go against our integrity as they target our religion
— Mohammad Murshaleen, Kairana resident
The changing face of law and order
It’s around 6:30 pm on Sunday in Kairana’s Bandukhedi. Afreen Hussain, in her forties, is with a group of Muslim women at the village chowk, recalling an instance from 2018 when she had travelled to Saharanpur, about 15 km from her village. Her family asked her to stay at a relative’s house, concerned that it would not be safe for her to return at night. “We feel more safe. Now we can send our daughters for tuition freely,” she said.
CM Adityanath has repeatedly emphasised in election rallies how the law and order in UP has improved under his government. “UP is known for improved law and order. We have taken decisive action against anti-social elements. Rioters are hanged upside down and blasted with chilli powder,” he said at a rally in Saharanpur on 12 April, adding that under the previous governments, “anarchy was a daily affair”. Amit Shah too had lauded the state’s law and order situation, saying at an election rally in 2022 that a 16-year-old girl wearing jewellery can go out after midnight without any fear.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2022 report complements the change. The IPC crime rate in UP (171.6 per cent) is significantly below the national average (258.1 per cent).
We are opposing the BJP as they are against our religion. They bulldoze our masjids, which cannot be tolerated
— Mohamamd Murshaleen
Political analysts attribute the “rapid change in the security phenomenon” to Adityanath’s leadership. “In 2017, when Yogi became the Chief Minister, a lot of attention was paid to social security and now the feeling of safety is awakening among the people,” said Professor Pawan Kumar Sharma, head of the political science department, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. “The women feel that they are more safe. For instance, more girls are coming to study in the university from faraway villages compared to earlier,” he added.
UP DGP Prashant Kumar credits the investment scenario in UP to the improved law and order situation. “We have a very dynamic political leadership who have given us direction and unwavering support, and there is a clarity of thought in all policy matters, which has resulted in the overall development of the state,” Kumar told ThePrint in an interview last week.
In August 2023, PM Modi had mentioned that law and order was a key factor in attracting investment. “An atmosphere of security, rule of law speeds up the pace of development. There was a time when the state was lagging behind in terms of development and was notorious for high rates of crimes,” he had said.
The women feel that they are more safe. For instance, more girls are coming to study in the university from faraway villages compared to earlier
— Pawan Kumar Sharma, head of political science department, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut
During elections though, the vexed question in western Uttar Pradesh is about the relationship between Hindus and Muslims, which was deeply affected by the 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar. While the the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), led by Chaudhary Ajit Singh and then his son Jayant Chaudhary, played its part in normalising the frayed Hindu-Muslim ties over the years, the party’s decision this time to join hands with the BJP has left Muslims at the crossroads.
Dalits and OBCs onboard
Not only Muslims but Dalits as well now feel safe under the Adityanath government. Western UP has a considerable Dalit population, and to woo them, the BJP is relying on its welfare schemes and social security initiatives.
Shubhash Saini, in his forties, runs a tea stall at the Sherkot Bazar in Nagina. Sherkot is a Muslim-dominated area, and Saini belongs to an Other Backward Class (OBC) community. “Until a few years ago, fights and brawls used to occur regularly in this market, but now such incidents are rare. As Hindus, we feel more secure now. Our safety is a bigger issue for us,” he said while serving tea to his customers.
Bhim Singh, who hails from the Dalit community, agrees with Saini. “Security was strong even during Mayawati’s rule, but during the Samajwadi Party’s regime, the security system started deteriorating. But it has improved again under the Yogi government. Also, we receive the benefits of ration and many other schemes,” he said.
Uttam Kumar said that extensive infrastructure development has taken place in western Uttar Pradesh in recent years. Highways are being built at many places, and connectivity is improving. Improved connectivity also helps reduce crime,” he said.
Residents of Kairana’s Toli village, a Gurjar-dominated settlement, mentioned that the SP’s Lok Sabha candidate Iqra Hasan is popular and a thoughtful individual, but they acknowledged that the security situation collapsed during the SP’s rule, the party with which she is contesting. “While voting, only Yogi-Modi will be in our mind. Every party is welcome in the village but we feel safe under the BJP government,” said Anil Pradhan, a resident.
“Our sisters and daughters are now safer than before. What else do we need? We used to earn money earlier as well,and we are still earning, but this government has provided us with a secure life,” he added.
(Edited by Prashant)
Yet again the evidence is irrefutable. The certain people of the book will always always keep their medieval desert cult ahead of any reality. Regardless their votes should be made irrelevant.