The voting for the assembly elections in the state of Maharashtra is just 15 days away and all the major political parties involved like the Maha Vikas Aghadi Alliance led by the Congress party and the Mahayuti Alliance led by the BJP are giving thought fight. Amid this, an old letter portraying Congress’ alleged support to the terrorists has come to the fore. An old letter that looks like a mercy petition for terrorist Yakub Memon, dated 28th July 2015, signed by a Congress candidate from Mira Bhayandar seat of Mumbai, Syed Muzaffar Hussain is making rounds on social media. Memon played a crucial role in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.
Among the crucial signatories is former legislator Muzaffar Hussain, who recently bagged the Congress ticket from the Mira Bhayandar (145) assembly segment. The other authorities who signed the letter are ex-Minister Arif Naseem Khan, Amin Patel, Aslam Sheikh, Sheik Asif Sheikh Rashid, Husnabano Khulife, Yusuf Abrahani, and Javed Juneja.
“We wish to appeal to Your Excellency for clemency towards the conviction of Yakub Memon. Several eminent personalities like filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, Actor Nasiruddin Shah, Activist Tushar Gandhi, CPI’s Sitaram Yechury, BJP’s Shatrughan Sinha, Lawyer Vrinda Grover, and 290 others had signed the mercy petition for Memon. We request Your Excellency to grant clemency under article 72 of the Indian Constitution and commute his death sentence into life imprisonment,” the letter read.
Meet Congress candidate from the Mira-Bhayandar seat (Maharashtra) Muzaffar Hussain. He's also the working president of Maharashtra Congress.
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) November 4, 2024
He had signed a mercy petition for terrorist Yakub Memon.
Dear Hindus, each vote for the INDI Alliance in Maharashtra is pushing… pic.twitter.com/z6eFpsJGWY
MVA led by Congress earlier beautified the grave of Memon, attempted to convert it into Mazar
Yakub Memon was convicted for the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts and was sentenced to death. In 2015, the death sentence was carried out after his mercy petition was rejected. He was buried on July 30, 2015, at Bada Cemetery in South Mumbai. Notably, Yakub was the only convict awarded the death penalty.
The Congress, the NCP led by Sharad Pawar and the Shiv Sena (UBT) have been allegedly extending support to terrorist Memon. This is clear as Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh who had written the letter to then President Pranab Mukherjee seeking mercy for Memon’s execution, was sworn in as a cabinet minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Not only that but during the MVA alliance’s rule, the grave of terrorist Memon was also being beautified. An attempt was being made to turn Yakub’s grave into a tomb, giving it VIP treatment. The grave was covered with white marble and LED lights were put on to beautify it. It was also guarded 24 hours a day. The Qabrastan authorities when contacted, denied special treatment and stated that the marble slabs and LED lights were part of a general beautification drive and are not specific to the grave of Yakub Memon. However, the scene was exposed only after BJP leader Ram Kadam shared the images of beautification specifically done at the grave of the terrorist, alleging that it had been converted into a Mazar.
He also slammed the Congress, NCP led by Sharad Pawar, and Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray for glorifying the convicted terrorist like this. After this, the LED lights surrounding Memon’s grave were taken down.
Maharashtra | Lighting arrangements that were put up at the grave of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon are now being removed. Latest visuals from Bada Qabrastan in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/i3rOi2VgVl
— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2022
Notably, BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha’s name was also dragged in the mercy petition signed by Islamists and its supporters, however, he had denied the accusations saying that he never signed any petition concerning Yakub Memon.
Muzzafar Hussain declared INC candidate from Mira Bhayandar
On 24th October, the former legislator Muzaffar Hussain was declared as the candidate from the Mira Bhayander (145) by the Congress party. Hussain’s name appeared in the first list of 48 candidates announced by the Congress party, alongside prominent senior leaders like Nana Patole, Prithviraj Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar, and Balasaheb Thorat.
Muzaffar Hussain began his political journey as a Youth Congress worker. He was first elected to the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation in 1991 and later served as the State Youth Congress president for an extended period. He is also a builder by profession. In 2004, he was elected to the Legislative Council, where he served until 2009, and has since sought re-nomination to the council. Hussain faced a significant political setback in 2009 when his stronghold, the Mira-Bhayander Assembly constituency, was allocated to the NCP as part of a seat-sharing arrangement, preventing him from contesting the assembly election. Later that year, he ran in a by-election for the Bhiwandi seat vacated by SP leader Abu Azmi but was defeated by a Shiv Sena (then united) candidate.
A dedicated Congress loyalist, Hussain belonging to the Muslim community, has earned widespread popularity among people from all communities, giving a probable tough fight to his contenders including BJP’s Narendra Mehta this time.
He usually is seen wearing a secular cap and expressing intent to combine different communities. Recently, during the election campaign during Diwali, he visited a temple in the Mira Bhayander region and said that he wanted to break the barriers between the different communities. Also during Ramadan this year, he who is also the managing trustee of the Jama Masjid Al Shams Mosque, had extended an invitation to visit the mosque to worshippers of all faiths and castes. However, maximum of the population residing in the Mira-Bhayander region today is Muslims, who dominate Hindus, harass them, and eventually force them to shift to other regions of Mumbai and Thane. OpIndia has reported several incidents from Mira Bhayander where Hindus complain that their daughters and sisters are trapped in love jihad incidents, Hindu businesses are deliberately targeted and minors are influenced to follow Islam. These reports can be read here.
Expressing gratitude to his party leadership for the opportunity, Hussain on 24th October remarked, “In areas like healthcare, water supply, housing, transportation, and infrastructure, the current administration and elected officials have failed entirely over the past decade. Residents have received nothing but empty promises. Much remains to be done.”
In the 2019 assembly elections, Hussain contested unsuccessfully, losing to independent candidate Geeta Jain, who garnered 79,575 votes and defeated her BJP opponent Narendra Mehta too by a margin of 15,526 votes. Hussain received 55,939 votes, capturing nearly 27% of the total vote share.
However, sources on the ground indicate that while Hussain holds a ‘secularist’ image, he has assiduously cultivated his vote bank, 90% of which is composed of the Muslim population.
Hussain’s father, Syed Nazar Hussain was one of the founders of Nayanagar, where Hindus are hardly allowed today
It is further crucial to note that Syed Muzaffar Hussain’s father, Syed Nazar Hussain who recently lost their life due to old age at 90, was one of the founders of the Nayanagar area in Mira-Bhayandar region where today Hindus are hardly allowed as alleged by the Sakal Hindu Samaj. As per the reports, for the foundation of the Nayanagar township, Syed Nazar Hussain had extended an invitation to Hindutva leader Balasaheb Thackeray and Indian Union Muslim League leader G M Banatwala together, attempting to sow the seeds of ‘secularism’.
Today, Nayanagar, Mira Road, and the Bhayander area in the Mumbai district have appeared in the news for all the wrong reasons, especially in the recent past. Several incidents of love jihad and assault on Hindus in the region have been exposed. OpIndia in February this year reported 15 cases of forced conversion, rape, assault, and torture from the last 1 year exposing the criminal den of Islamists in Nayanagar and Mira Bhayander region.
The Islamists deliberately target Hindu women in relationships and then, indulge in conversion – often violently. They believe that India is Dar-ul-Harb which must be changed to Da-ul-Islam and they see the conversion of Hindus to Islam as one of the crucial ways towards fulfilling their dreams. The Islamists are also encouraged by their religious heads to trap Hindus, especially women in relationships and convert their religion to Islam. There is evidence to suggest that Islamists are also provided with financial aid to trap Hindus, especially women, and convert their religion to Islam.
Mumbai’s Mira Road and Bhayander area which has a majority Muslim population has become a hub of ‘Grooming Jihad’ and religious conversion. The Sakal Hindu Samaj members in an exclusive conversation earlier had informed OpIndia that the Mira Road region in Mumbai is dominated by the Muslim majority population and that the community which claims to be a minority and oppressed is moving to become a problem for the other communities.
Explaining the changing demography of the region, Kishor Sant (name changed for security reasons) of the Sakal Hindu Samaj was quoted as saying, “Earlier this Mira Bhayander region, Nayanagar area was dominated by the Hindu population. In the past few years, several Muslims from the Mumbra region or even from different cities migrated to this area claiming their dominance. Later in the Nayanagar and Mira road region these people began deliberately harassing Hindus. They began harassing their daughters, disturbing them in their businesses and even there are many cases where these people have demanded ransom money from Hindus. As a result of this, several Hindus began migrating to other regions of Mumbai and Thane.”
“At present, in the Nayanagar area, no Hindus are allowed. It has now become a Muslim locality. Recently, Hindu devotees were badly assaulted during the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony that happened in Ayodhya. The Hindus in the Nayanagar area were abused, also derogatory comments were made against Lord Rama. The videos of the incident had gone viral over the internet. This is a growing problem,” he added.
Earlier Mira Road controversies and acts of violence reported by OpIndia
Though Hussain in his election campaigns claims that Hindus and Muslims have always been united and that it is the BJP that has created communal hatred, media reports, and legal pieces of evidence have another story to tell. On 29th October, communal tensions erupted in the Mira Bhayander region as Muslims attacked Hindus for bursting firecrackers while celebrating the Hindu festival of Diwali. The accused persons allegedly attacked around 10-12 Hindus with sharp weapons resulting in serious injuries.
Pls contact to Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar police commissionerate control room for further action. You can contact them on 022-29452135 Whatsapp no 8657936942 this helpline no. regarding this.
— Thane City Police -ठाणे शहर पोलीस (@ThaneCityPolice) October 29, 2024
As per the Hindu victims, the accused persons used ice-breaker weapons and glass bottles to attack them. Around 5 victims had to be immediately shifted to the hospital and were released after proper treatment. Meanwhile, several Hindus gathered at the spot and at the Navghar Police Station to protest against the incident. The Hindus raised slogans and demanded strict punishment against the accused persons. A complaint in the case was later filed.
In June 2024, the Mumbai Police arrested an individual identified as Amir Chaudhari Sayed Chaudhari after he trapped a Hindu minor girl into a love affair and molested her twice. The incident happened in the JP North society in Mumbai’s Mira Road region. The accused aged 18 was booked and arrested by the Navghar Police Station under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and sections 8 and 12 of the POCSO, 2012.
The accused used to call the girl and also initiate chats with her on social media platforms. He also used to frequently call her to meet her. In March this year, the accused called the girl to meet him near the Max Pro gym where he tried to forcefully kiss her. He pulled her closer without her will and attempted to molest her. The girl pushed him away and escaped to reach home. Recently, on 24th June, the accused again called the girl to meet in the garden close to Seven Square. He again tried to molest the girl by forcefully kissing her. The girl then managed to call her mother who came to rescue. The duo then reached the police station and filed a police complaint.
On June 17th, the Kashigaon Police Station in Mumbai’s Mira Road region booked an individual named Vajud, a resident of Hill Galaxy Apartment, for insulting and threatening Hindus and abusing the religion saying, “Hinduo ke m** ki ch**”. The incident happened on 16th June and was exclusively reported by OpIndia. The Muslim residents residing in the Hill Galaxy Apartment and JP North Celeste Society on Mira Road initially got goats inside the society premises for illegal slaughter ahead of the Bakrid festival. The Hindus then protested against the incident and called the police. However, the police allowed the goats saying that there was no livestock policy within the society.
Amid this, the Hindus launched massive protests and objected to the slaughter on the society’s premises. However, the Muslim residents argued with the Hindus and claimed that they would slaughter the goats on the society’s premises. As reported earlier, Vajud and his associates insulted Hindus. They threatened the Hindus saying they (Muslims) would slaughter the goats within the society premises, come what may. “Do whatever you can. We will slaughter animals here only, within the society premises. Hinduo ke m** ki ch**,” Vajud was quoted as saying as per the FIR.
The Muslims also insulted Lord Ganesh hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus. “You people celebrate the Ganesh festival. Do we say anything then? We feel enraged and puking when we see your Lord Ganesha. We will see how you celebrate your Ganesh festival here,” Vajud said as he threatened the Hindus. The FIR was then filed under sections 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
Residents claim that illegal Masjid has also been constructed at Galaxy Hills by Builder Sheikh. People from other societies come here to offer prayers making Hindus uncomfortable. 'There's almost daily ruckus on this issue', residents say.
— Siddhi (@sidis28) June 17, 2024
Vdo- Mira Bhayankar news (LC) pic.twitter.com/d6cegmlhHz
A similar incident was reported last year
In June 2023, a massive controversy erupted after one of the Muslim families living in a society on Mira Road, Mumbai brought two goats a day ahead of Bakrid (Bakra-eid, Eid-Ul-Adha). The society members happened to refuse the Muslim family to get the goats inside the society premises for slaughter and said that they wouldn’t allow any kind of slaughtering activity within the society premises.
The residents of the society on Mira Road protested and opposed the slaughtering of the goats within the society premises on Bakrid and also chanted Hanuman Chalisa. Some of the people also raised the slogans of ‘Jai Shree Ram’, the videos of which had gone viral in the media.
Ruckus in #MiraRoad high rise society ( Close to Mumbai) over #BakriEid pic.twitter.com/96ZjiCJQgA
— Sonu Kanojia (@NNsonukanojia) June 28, 2023
But the couple took the goats to the apartment after which the police were informed. The police who reached the spot immediately tried to maintain peace and communal harmony and assured the other residents in the society that no slaughtering would take place within the society premises.
The Police also allowed the goats saying that there was no such rule or law against a man getting goats or animals into his house. However, the authorities said that the concerned family would face arrest if they slaughtered animals in his apartment or within the society premises. The detailed report on this case can be read here and here.
In the second crucial incident that was reported recently in January 2024, the Islamists attacked Hindus with stones, iron rods, sticks, and bamboo, leaving over a dozen people who participated in rallies to commemorate the return of Lord Ram in Ayodhya injured.
In the incident reported from Mira Road, Mumbai, Islamists also disrespected the Hindu religion and hurt the Hindu religious sentiments by tearing flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman. Islamists are also said to have vomited over the flags causing disrespect to the Hindu faith. OpIndia contacted the Police to know the details of the incident. The police confirmed that around 13 persons had been arrested in the case, however, IO Dilip Rakh revealed no information about the accused persons given the sensitivity of the case.
The videos of the incident had gone viral over the internet in which the Islamists could be heard raising the slogans of ‘Allah-hu-Akhbar’ while attacking the cars. They could be seen using iron rods and sticks to attack the Hindus. Even the videos of women being attacked made rounds on social media.
Islamists raised slogans of 'Allah-hu-Akhbar' after cars on #miraroad attacked. They puked on Hindu flags. I have zero courage to share disheartening videos showing Hindu flags dipped in puke. It hurts to see #Hindus disrespected @NiteshNRane's rally is scheduled today. pic.twitter.com/am8vmVkksl
— Siddhi (@sidis28) January 23, 2024
Later the Police and the local administration took cognizance of the event and bulldozed the illegal properties of the Islamists staying on the Mira road who were involved in the stone pelting. As per reports, the illegal construction of the accused persons involved in the Mira Road clash was razed to the ground in the presence of Maharashtra Security Force and Mumbai Police.
This year in February, OpIndia reported 15 cases in which Hindu girls were deliberately trapped by Muslims in the Mira Road region and then raped, and converted to Islam. Hindu activists while talking about the incident had said that the cases of Love Jihad had been on the rise in the region but were allegedly being ignored by the administration. Detailed reports in this case can be read here.
Conclusion
Syed Muzaffar Hussain, the current Congress candidate from the Mira Bhayander region, who often blames the ruling party for allegedly spreading communal hatred in the society, who wears the cap of ‘secularism’ and who believes in the so-called community building in the region should also answer some basic questions during his campaigns like- why Hindus are often allegedly assaulted for practising their religion in Mira Bhayander and Nayanagar area by Islamists? Why do Hindu women continue to fall prey to incidents of love jihad at the hands of Islamists? Why are Hindus today hardly allowed in the Nayanagar region (as alleged by Sakal Hindu Samaj) which was founded by his father, Syed Nazar Hussain?
It is easy to allegedly make fake promises assuring development, communal harmony, and social development, but facing the ground reality seems tough, all thanks to the local administration. Islamists in the Mira Road, Nayanagar region allegedly target Hindu communities for celebrating Hindu festivals, they target Hindu women, and force them to convert to Islam, and this all is not a hoax. Enough evidence, like FIRs, testimonies, videos, police records, etc have time to time been presented by OpIndia to highlight the problems faced by Hindus in the region. Notably, these incidents occurred during the decade when the BJP was in power in the region. If Congress, known for its history of close association with minorities for votes, were to take power, what more might happen?
As per the activists on the ground, several Hindu businesses in the region are also deliberately targeted by the Islamists. “They install hawkers in the areas which are literally ‘no-hawkers’ zones and indirectly block the customers from reaching into the Hindu shops. Then they slowly start trapping the daughters of the Hindu shopkeepers leading to the incidents of Love Jihad,” Pratap Deokate (name changed for security reasons), one of the Hindu activists said earlier in February while talking to OpIndia.
If Muzzafar Hussain, wearing the cap of ‘secularism’ really wants communal harmony to reside in the region, he needs to look into all such cases and provide justice to Hindus, especially women who are often trapped in Love Jihad incidents at the hands of Islamists. He must make sure that the local administration pays serious attention to such cases, allowing no alleged free pass to accused Islamists. Congress and its supporters often consider Love Jihad as a hoax, but no such reason for disbelief in this conspiracy should exist anymore. In April 2024, one Neha Hiremath was murdered by her former classmate Fayaz in Hubbali, Karnataka for refusing to convert to Islam. Notably, Neha’s father Niranjan Hiremath was a Congress leader who had confirmed that his daughter was a victim of love jihad and that this ‘conspiracy’ exists.
Muzzafar Hussain so far holds a radiant image in the minds of voters today, all thanks to his ‘secular’ approach, clean image, and relentless social service activities. This profile gives a potentially tough fight this time to BJP’s Narendra Mehta given Geeta Jain missing from the picture. As per the sources, Hussain is expected to garner a maximum of the Muslim votes given his association with the Congress and also the community.
A general assembly election is scheduled to be held in Maharashtra on 20th November to elect the 288 members of the 15th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the counting and the results of which will be declared on 23rd November.
