INDIAN MUSLIMS CELEBRATE AAP VICTORY

The crushing defeat of the BJP in Delhi elections was also celebrated by many Indian expatriates in Saudi Arabia. (Photo: On Islam)

New Delhi, 23 Rabi’ul Akhir 1436/13 February 2015 (MINA) – Indian Muslims and Christians have celebrated the sweeping victory of Aam Adami Party (AAP), marking a new era of religious tolerance in the Hindu-majority subcontinent.

“Finally, truth stood victorious. We are confident that the AAP will solve our problems,” 60-year-old Trilokpuri resident Amina Begum told IANS on Tuesday, February 10.

Making history, the AAP won 67 out of the contested the 70-seat Delhi Assembly on February 7 polls, On Islam quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Trilokpuri is one of the Muslim-majority cities that celebrated the win of the AAP over the ruling rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi state elections.

Similar celebrations were held in Okhla and Jamia Nagar in south Delhi and Seemapuri in east Delhi where residents burst fire crackers and distributed sweets.

Waving the “broom” election symbol of the AAP, residents danced in the streets while wearing the party’s caps.

“We chose AAP on the issues of water, power and basic amenities,” Amantulla, a 50-year-old resident of Chandni Chowk, said.

“But our first priority was to choose a party that will be impartial on caste and community based politics.”

Muslims were not the only Indians who celebrated AAP’s victory over BJP. Delhi Christians, who have been complaining of growing intolerance, joined Tuesday’s celebrations.

“The growing intolerance against Christians and the complete silence on part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has actually led to this debacle for the BJP,” said Vivek Masih, who works as a counsel for the Delhi government in Tis Hazari court.

“I voted for the AAP because it has secular credentials and this very fact tilted the scale towards them.”

“The BJP and its allies attacking churches in Delhi and elsewhere in the country created a strong sense of fear among the community and they voted for the AAP,” Rajani, who works with St. Stephen’s hospital, said.

Expatriates Too

The crushing defeat of the BJP in Delhi elections was also celebrated by many Indian expatriates in Saudi Arabia.

“This is the defeat caused by arrogance,” Dr. M.S. Karimuddin, a well-known Jeddah-based Indian community elder, told Arab News on Wednesday, February 11.

“The attacks on churches, the campaign of calumny against Muslims, and the carte blanche given to big corporations resulted in this massive defeat for Modi and his BJP.”

Several Indian Expatriates have praised the democratic approach of the two-year-old secular party, AAP. “The AAP has restored our faith in democracy and secularism,” longtime Indian expat Nafis Tarin said.

“This is the beginning of a new era. The people of Delhi deserve to be given their weight in gold for scripting this spectacular victory for the AAP and puncturing the huge egos of Modi and BJP President Amit Shah.”

Ahead of last week elections, most of the opinion polls gave an edge to AAP. Modi has, however, debunked opinion poll results.

Congress, the party most of the Muslims used to vote for, no longer seems to be the choice of the largest minority community of the country in Delhi.

There are more than 180 million Muslims in Hindu-majority India, the world’s third-largest Muslim population after those of Indonesia and Pakistan. (T/P011/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)