The trend of discussing Muslim and minority issues has persisted since the Modi government first assumed power in 2014. It was once again at the forefront during the recent electoral cycle.
Historically, the Muslim jan-mat has been influenced by anti-BJP sentiments. However, this time, there was considerable speculation that the BJP’s strategic outreach to Muslim communities could disrupt traditional voting alignments and produce unprecedented outcomes.
While analysing India Today‘s breakdown of Muslim voters by state, it is evident that no more than 8 per cent of Muslims anywhere voted for the BJP. The majority of the Muslim vote went to candidates who were seen as strong contestants against the BJP.
These were predominantly from the INDIA bloc, with the notable exception of West Bengal, where the TMC was preferred over other parties. This pattern reveals that despite the BJP’s outreach initiatives and welfare schemes, Indian Muslims view it as a self-declared enemy and are hesitant to support it on a national level.
The Muslim vote in 2024
The UP local body elections 2023 could be considered a deviation from this trend, wherein BJP fielded 395 Muslim candidates, out of whom 45 emerged victorious. This was an anomaly for the party as it hasn’t repeated the practice in the Lok Sabha elections.
A significant factor in this year’s general elections is that Muslims did not vote based on the number of tickets a party gave to Muslim candidates. Instead, they voted for the candidate they thought promoted their best interest. Notably, most Muslim clergy and prominent figures remained silent on voting, unlike in the past. This silence, one can assume, was intended to avoid polarisation.
After the election results, social media was overflowing with posts and news clips highlighting that the Muslim community did not vote for the current government despite receiving welfare benefits. I firmly oppose the idea that voting is tied to basic government functions—and that failing to vote makes one a traitor. But herd voting is also concerning. It can lead to a situation where parties rely more on narrative and tribalism than fulfilling their fundamental responsibilities.
Every individual prioritises different factors when they vote, and rightly so. I prioritise societal reforms and everyday issues. Others may vote for dignity, which each individual can determine for themselves. However, the question remains: In a democracy where every vote counts—and the Indian Muslim ballot indeed played a significant role this election season—what will the Muslim vote bank ultimately achieve?
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Progress and representation
During my discussions with community members, I brought up the longstanding pattern of reducing ourselves to mere vote banks for perceived security. I asserted that we should cast our votes for loftier goals such as community upliftment, employment, and essential reforms.
While many from the Muslim community believe that defeating the BJP is necessary to fight their dehumanisation, what real change or progress will that bring? Even if we talk in terms of Muslim representation, other political parties have offered barely adequate representation while distributing tickets in 2024. So why should we hail them either?
As a Pasmanda Muslim, progress is more important to me than just being in Parliament, which has anyway been controlled traditionally by Ashraaf Muslims. I want real progress that ensures gender equality and the socio-economic upliftment of Muslims.
I was told that while other political parties have failed Muslims in many ways too, our fight against dehumanisation is most pressing at the moment. It is not about choosing the best option, but the less evil option.
To be fair, Indians have been obligated to choose the lesser evil at some point in their life. The Muslim community is no exception to this sentiment. While we’re all cheering this election as a big win for democracy, I think it’s time we go beyond settling for the lesser evil.
Real change is hard to come by unless we vote for building stronger institutions and a system that benefits all Indian citizens, not just charismatic leaders.
Amana Begam Ansari is a columnist and TV news panelist. She runs a weekly YouTube show called ‘India This Week by Amana and Khalid’. She tweets @Amana_Ansari. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
Like how exercise is the mother of all treatments, i believe a thriving economy is the is the solution for most social ills. Thriving economy—jobs—education—improvement in social class—standard of living—dignity and respect. Free-market is required for the economy to thrive, but Indians are allergic to it. So, India is stuck in the rut of ‘freebies, subsidies, reservation, and loan waivers to target communities and receive their votes, keeping them poor and dependent on the state.
Your argument doesn’t seem to have any logic. Are you saying Muslims should have voted for a party that dehumanizes Muslims? Even if we agree that other parties did not do much for Muslims, you are accepting dehumanization if you stay neutral or vote for BJP. Living with dignity even if there is no improvement is better than being killed by constant dehumanization and humiliation! You can continue to fight for improvement if you live another day but you die once you loose your dignity!