Vote for Modi ONLY, if you want to maintain communal harmony in Kashi: Insidious pamphlet to MUSLIMS

Varanasi: In a bid to turn the upcoming election into a Hindu-vs-Muslim tussle, a pamphlet is being distributed here asking Muslims to vote for BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi as he is the unanimous choice of all Hindus and supporting him will strengthen Hindu-Muslims relations in the temple town of Uttar Pradesh. Issued by one Shrinath Tripathi, the pamphlet did not carry the name of any political party, news portal Scroll.in reported. "Muslim brothers of Banaras know that when Murli Manohar Joshi could not be defeated (in 2009 election), how is it possible to stop Modi in this wave," the pamphlet reads. Declaring that Modi will win the election from Varanasi parliamentary seat, the pamphlet said, "The only issue which is being debated is what would be the margin of his victory." Notably, the high-voltage Modi campaign and the culture of intolerance it is generating are being watched with deep anxiety by many of Varanasi’s residents. They fear that that it will greatly damage the city’s syncretic culture. Many residents have already been alarmed by statements made by leaders of the BJP and Sangh Parivar in the past few days. Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Pravin Togadia has recently said Muslims should be stopped from buying property in Hindu-majority areas.

Last week, Giriraj Singh, senior BJP leader in Bihar, said Narendra Modi’s critics have no place in the country and they will have go to Pakistan. Earlier, Modi's close aide Amit Shah said at a meeting in western UP, where communal riots last year had left dozens dead, that the election was an opportunity "to take revenge" and "to teach a lesson to those who have done injustice". Muslims form 15% of Vararansi’s population and are crucial for any electoral victory. During the last Lok Sabha election, the BJP’s Murli Manohar Joshi defeated Bahujan Samaj Party’s candidate Mukhtar Ansari by just 17,000 votes. For Muslims of Varanasi, the choice is between Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Ajay Rai of Congress. If the community as a whole decides to throw its weight behind one of them, the BJP could be in trouble when the constituency goes to the polls on May 12.