TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu’s ‘run with the hare and hunt with the hounds’ tactic, especially in wooing Muslims to his side, seems to be backfiring big time. Even as the wily politician has recently hosted a meeting with some Muslim leaders to allay their concerns over his party’s alliance with the BJP, a simultaneous counter campaign is being carried out with full steam against the newly formed alliance. A Whatsapp group created in the name of ‘Muslim Intellectuals Association’ is spearheading this campaign, cautioning their brethren to guard against BJP’s deception in the guise of the TDP.
As part of the social media campaign, messages are being sent out to all the Muslims in Andhra Pradesh asking them not to be ‘sweet-talked’ into the TDP’s trap yet again. The message, in a nutshell, is loud and clear: Do not vote for the TDP as it only means falling in the BJP’s trap. The BJP, which is hell-bent on a host of anti-Muslim initiatives including Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA, is using the TDP as a barrel to fire at the minorities…!
“Muslim brother, wake up! You need to think twice before you even hazard the thought of voting for the TDP-BJP-Janasena combine which is a communal alliance in the ensuing elections. A vote for the TDP is nothing but voting for the communal BJP,” screamed the message that is being actively circulated in the Whatsapp group.
Chandrababu Naidu, in his recent meeting with Muslim leaders, maintained that the alliance with the BJP was in the interest of the state and appealed to them to be with his party in this effort. As if to counter this, the message in the Whatsapp group warned the Muslims that the BJP will impose anti-minority measures like CAA, Uniform Civil Code, NRC and NPR, if the alliance comes to power both at the Centre and in the state.
It also raised the spectre of the saffron party scrapping the four percent reservations for the Muslims. Besides, several curbs will be imposed on their freedom in the form of a ban on meat halal, wearing of hijab and use of loudspeakers for Azaan calling for prayers. The message also listed the likely scrapping of the Wakf Act.
The crux of this social media campaign hinges on the historical fact that Chandrababu Naidu and his hollow promises cannot be trusted and that he had frequently sided with the communal agenda of the BJP for his own vested interests. The latest counter-campaigning is expected to derail the plans of the TDP to win back the hearts of the Muslims again in the state.