NEW DELHI: The ongoing nation-wide door-to-door signature Campaign of the BJP to enlist mass Support for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya has left City’s Muslims terrified and insecure, especially those living outside predominantly Muslim localities.
The campaign, launched on January 15, officially aims at amassing about 100 million signatures by February 10, when it ends. In Delhi, the target is about three million signatures; However, several Muslims families said the exercise was actually meant to identify them. They feared that if a Bombay like situation occurred here they would be known targets. A Muslim resident from Preet Bihar said; The BJP is planning a rally on February 25. They told him over a million people will participate. If the crowd becomes uncontrollable and targets the identified Muslim families then will the BJP protect us? Going by their track record in Ayodhya where they failed miserably in controlling just two lakh people, they cannot. We feel threatened. The government must not allow such signature campaigns.”
The BJP spokesman, K.R.Malkani, denied that the party’s was to frighten Muslims. He said they were not discriminating against the Muslims and wanted their support as well. When asked why then the party activists have not asked for the signatures of the Muslims, he said some activists were avoiding Muslims they should not do so.
According to informed sources, the BJP is being actively assisted by the banned VHP and RSS activists in mobilizing the masses for the rally, They are reported to have held several meetings in this regard.
A trader, who lives in Mayur Vihar, said he was contemplating shifting to Meerut, his hometown, A Darya Ganj resident, who owns a house in Mayur Vihar and has been planning to shift to his flat, has postponed it. He said he would watch the situation before taking any decision.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 12, 1993
