I then approached Nazar Abbas with my camera and mike. I asked him why he only spoke about the fear factor in the Muslim community and why there was no demand or any economic agenda for the community.
Abbas was silenced with this unexpected question. With great difficulty, he answered that security was the most important issue. I then asked him about the demands of the Muslim community in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. "Muslims are backward," he said. "This is there in the Sachar Committee report. There should be more schools for Muslims. Education is very important."
I again asked him if there was any economic agenda. I hinted that the brass factories of Moradabad and the lock industries of Aligarh are dying and Muslims in large numbers are being affected. "These are secondary issues. Security is more important," was the only answer he could manage.
I then approached two young men wearing modern dress but sporting skullcaps. I asked them if they wear these caps all the time. One of them replied, "No, we wear it while offering namaz."
On further probing, he was honest enough to reply, "We actually wanted to look like Muslims. All the media is here for us."
I asked him if he had been convinced by what Nazar Abbas or Amar Singh had said. "This is all politics. Who cares,' he said. Then why was he here? He explained that his family follows the Khankah of Kachucha Sharief and he was here because Azhar Masood Kachauchvi had asked him to come. He went on to tell me that he owns a small manufacturing unit making denim pants at Seelampur neighbourhood in east Delhi.
He told me that his business has been severely hit by the recession. The sale of his garments had dropped and his workers were running away.
Sadly, this was not an issue for the Lok Sabha poll. Not for Amar Singh, but most surprisingly, not even for Nazar Abbas.
Also see: Amethi cheers on as Rahul files nomination
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