‘BJP more secular than other parties,’ says its lone Muslim candidate in fray, from Manipur

The Lilong Assembly constituency in Thoubal district is inhabited predominantly by the Muslim community. The indigenous Manipuri Muslims, based in the valley, are known as “Pangal” or “Meitei Pangal”.

Khan claims that Meitei Pangals do not have grievances against the ruling BJP owing to the “good leadership in the Manipur BJP”. He says, “Normally the minority community everywhere feels insecure, and that is when the role of good leadership counts,” adding that “Chief Minister N Biren Singh has been working closely with Meitei Pangals despite the fact that the minority community has no representation in the government”.

Khan is the sitting MLA from Lilong, which he had won in the 2020 bypoll as an Independent candidate. He joined the BJP last year. His father late Md Alauddin Khan was a minister in the previous Ibobi Singh-led Congress government.

The National People’s Party (NPP)’s candidate Sheik Noorul Hassan, however, says successive Manipur governments including the incumbent BJP dispensation have “neglected” Meitei Pangals despite the fact that the community has enough voters to swing elections in a slew of constituencies.

Of the total 60 Assembly seats in Manipur, there are about 18 Assembly seats with a considerable percentage of Meitei Pangal voters, Hassan says. The BJP has, however, fielded only a sitting Muslim MLA as its lone candidate, he says. He adds that 37 per cent of voters in his Kshetrigao seat are Muslims too.

Of the total 16 Muslim candidates in the Manipur fray for the upcoming polls, the Congress has fielded 4 and the NPP and the Janata Dal (United) 3 each, while four are Independents.

The All Manipur Muslim United Coordinating Committee (AMMUCOC)’s president SM Jalal says the reason why Meitei Muslims have been lagging behind

on all development parameters is due to lack of their representation in various fields.

Muslims settled in Manipur in the early 17th century. As per 2011 Census, of Manipur’s over 28 lakh population, Muslims number 2.40 lakh. Significantly, after Manipur got statehood in 1972, Md Alimuddin of the Manipur People’s Party became its first CM.