Muslims want peace, growth

To the minority community in Bhagalpur, Lalu raj means "no riots, no rights". The memories of the 1989 riots still haunt the community. But they are not impressed with Lalu Prasad's USP"""riot-free reign".

A majority of over 60,000 Muslims, who constitute around 25 per cent of the electorate in Bhagalpur Assembly constituency, harbour a feeling of betrayal. Most of them are weavers. They want to live in peace. But to live, they need electricity.

Lalu has failed miserably on this front, forcing hundreds of weavers to sell their powerlooms and migrate to other areas. Those who stayed back are living on the edge.

Weavers in Bhagalpur, with monthly earnings ranging Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 a month, owe between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh each to the power department. This includes power bills accrued over the past 12-15 years and interests thereon. They live in the fear of power officials and the police who could swoop on them any day.

In the late 1980s, most of them stopped paying their bills as they were getting power for barely two hours a day. Their demand for power had also led to a violent agitation resulting in a clash with the police in 1987. A senior police officer and three weavers were killed in the clash. But that had no impact on the power supply. "The Lalu raj has prevented riots, but made us starve. What he means is 'no riots, no development'," said Mohammad Sanaullah, a weaver.

Muslims have a litany of complaints against Lalu, but it's premature to conclude anything about their loyalty to him. "Yes, he has acted like a villain here. But the issue is whether we should elect a much bigger villain (the BJP) to punish him," said Zubair of Champanagar.

According to Sadar Maksud Alam of the Riots' Victims Rehabilitation Committee, the Lalu regime betrayed riots victims too. In 1990, 843 victims were given Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 each as compensation for the loss of their properties during riots.

The district administration had then told the community that the compensation was being paid by the banks following instructions of the government.

A few years later the banks suddenly issued notices (for attachment of property) to these 843 people saying that they had failed to pay back the loans (earlier given as compensation).

"We have made representation to everybody"" from district administration to the president of India. It is a cruel joke to victims. But nothing has happened. The banks have deferred any action but not withdrawn the notices," said Mohammad Khursid of the Riots' Victims Rehabilitation Committee.

Muslims here have a litany of complaints against Lalu, but it's premature to conclude anything about their loyalty to him. "Yes, he has acted like a villain here. But the issue is whether we should elect a much bigger villain (the BJP) to punish him," rued Zubair of Champanagar.