Beyond Religion: Lone Muslim-dominated Town of Panjab Yearns for Change

A narrative of change in the national govt. is sweeping through the lone Muslim-dominated town of Panjab — Malerkotla. The Malerkotla Assembly segment of the Sangrur parliamentary constituency in the past voted twice for AAP’s current CM Mann and SAD (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann in the 2022 Lok Sabha (lower house) by-election. This time, however, people in the town have decided to vote for a party that does not divide people. ‘We want to eat with our Hindu brethren on one plate. We have been living in complete harmony with them all these decades. But the BJP is playing divisive politics. The mangalsutra (‘auspicious thread’ necklace with often gold pendant worn by married Hindu women) statement by PM Modi smacks of the wedge they intend to create,’ said Mohammad Jameel of Qila Rehmatgarh in Malerkotla. ‘We chose Simranjit Singh Mann because we love him. He has been a huge support to us. But now, we want a change in Delhi. We want to vote for a party which can take over the reins of the country. Bhagwant Mann is a single-man force, so we will vote for the INC,’ he added. Mohammad Nazeer, another resident, who drives an auto rickshaw for a living, said, ‘Our forefathers have been living in India since times immemorial. Now, we are living here. We chose to live here even after the Partition (Division of India and Pakistan in 1947). We now feel like strangers in our own country. My forefathers are buried in Malerkotla. I will also die and be buried here. Where will we go now? We want to remain happily here. Please do not support forces vying to turn us out’ (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 14, Story 10).