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February 10, 1998

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Largescale violence likely in UP to stop Muslim votes

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi



The Centre has expressed its deep apprehension over a threat of largescale violence in Uttar Pradesh designed to prevent Muslims from voting.

Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta has sent a note to UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh apprising him of intelligence reports that violence is likely in UP's Muslim-dominated parliamentary constituencies. He has offered to send additional contingents of paramilitary forces to deal with any eventuality, and sought details about the law and order arrangements in the violence-prone state.

Sources said home ministry intelligence had gathered that an elaborate plan was chalked out to discourage the Muslim voters from exercising their franchise. Gupta is determined to ensure that there are no impediments to keep the minority community from voting.

Kalyan Singh, who acknowledged the receipt of the note, is yet to respond to the Centre.

Gupta, sources said, has identified 32 parliamentary constituencies in the volatile state where violence is anticipated. The Muslim voters in these constituencies, in case they vote, could effectively tilt the balance against the Bharatiya Janata Party. In the last election, the BJP secured most of the 32 seats, thanks to the split in the non-BJP votes between the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party.

Political observers say that unlike last time, the BJP is desperate to woo the minority community since the percentage of Muslim votes in UP is expected to be as high as 80 to 90 % this time.

The Congress and SP, for their part, are understood to have begun negotiations in order to avoid any split in the 'secular' votes. The non-BJP parties, thus, are 'retiring' each other's candidates in various constituencies so that they can derive maximum benefit from their respective strength.

The Election Commission is keenly monitoring the situation.

Meanwhile, some Muslim intellectuals under Muslim Personal Law Board president Maulana Ali Miyan are taking steps to avoid a split in the anti-BJP votes in Bihar, Rajasthan and UP, and have issued an appeal to the voters. They had discussed the matter with SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Congress president Sitaram Kesri.

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