The Rohingya Factor in Congress’s Nuh Victory?
18 Oct 2024 11:09:13
Mamman Khan, the Congress candidate for the Jhirka assembly seat in Nuh, Haryana, won a decisive victory with a margin of 98,441 votes. According to Election Commission data, Khan secured a total of 1,30,497 votes. However, his victory is mired in controversy, as he currently faces charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for allegedly inciting the communal violence that erupted in Nuh on July 31, 2023.
Khan’s success is attributed largely to strong support from the local Muslim community, though reports suggest he also received backing from illegal Rohingya immigrants living in the area. Nuh, a district with an approximately 80% Muslim population, is reportedly experiencing demographic shifts due to the influx of these migrants. Following the Nuh violence, several Rohingya refugees were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the unrest.
On October 7, Organiser Weekly released a video exposing a madarsa in Nuh that allegedly serves these illegal immigrants. In the video, children attending the madarsa can be heard chanting, "Non-believers will burn in hell." Reports indicate around 400 illegal immigrants live in the area. The madarsa's teachers openly admitted to being from Myanmar, having entered India illegally. They expressed that they faced no issues living in Nuh, describing themselves as 'Mehmaan' (guests). Proudly, they revealed that they were teaching children Urdu, Pashto, Farsi, English, and Hindi.
Journalists who visited the madarsa also spoke to the children, many of whom expressed a desire to become "Hafiz" (those who have memorized the Quran) rather than pursue professions like medicine or engineering. One Rohingya refugee admitted that he crossed into India illegally from Bangladesh in 2016 to escape violence in Myanmar, stating he had no passport or visa. His only documentation was a UNHCR refugee card, with no Indian-issued identity documents.
These revelations raise several questions for the Congress party: Is Congress deliberately backing illegal immigrants? Why is the party associated with those offering shelter to Rohingyas? Are the Rohingyas being used as a vote bank? The party’s stance on this issue remains unclear, leaving the public to wonder how long this situation will persist under Congress's watch.
Khan’s success is attributed largely to strong support from the local Muslim community, though reports suggest he also received backing from illegal Rohingya immigrants living in the area. Nuh, a district with an approximately 80% Muslim population, is reportedly experiencing demographic shifts due to the influx of these migrants. Following the Nuh violence, several Rohingya refugees were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the unrest.
On October 7, Organiser Weekly released a video exposing a madarsa in Nuh that allegedly serves these illegal immigrants. In the video, children attending the madarsa can be heard chanting, "Non-believers will burn in hell." Reports indicate around 400 illegal immigrants live in the area. The madarsa's teachers openly admitted to being from Myanmar, having entered India illegally. They expressed that they faced no issues living in Nuh, describing themselves as 'Mehmaan' (guests). Proudly, they revealed that they were teaching children Urdu, Pashto, Farsi, English, and Hindi.
Journalists who visited the madarsa also spoke to the children, many of whom expressed a desire to become "Hafiz" (those who have memorized the Quran) rather than pursue professions like medicine or engineering. One Rohingya refugee admitted that he crossed into India illegally from Bangladesh in 2016 to escape violence in Myanmar, stating he had no passport or visa. His only documentation was a UNHCR refugee card, with no Indian-issued identity documents.
These revelations raise several questions for the Congress party: Is Congress deliberately backing illegal immigrants? Why is the party associated with those offering shelter to Rohingyas? Are the Rohingyas being used as a vote bank? The party’s stance on this issue remains unclear, leaving the public to wonder how long this situation will persist under Congress's watch.