“Your Vote is a Trust you hold”

JIH Maharashtra rouses the people to bring in a Just and Secular Government.

The Maharashtra chapter of Jamaate Islami Hind has taken up the challenge of keeping Corrupt, Communal and Fascist forces from coming to power in the soon to be held Assembly Elections by creating mass awareness among the people of the state. It has recently concluded a 10-day Pre-Election Campaign- ‘Maharashtra ka Vikas… Nyay aur Sadbhavna ke Sath’- which saw seminars, symposia and public-meetings being held in close to 200 towns across the length and breadth of India’s second largest state.

People’s Manifestos were prepared in English, Hindi, Urdu and Marathi after much thought and deliberation, which sought to highlight the grievances of the people in the field of education, health, industrial development, infrastructure and social justice. Copies of this manifesto were distributed among the public from the 12th to the 21st of September. Representatives of political parties were also approached and urged to include these demands in their own manifestos.

During the same time, the public was sensitized on the importance of universal suffrage and the importance of their vote. They were asked to vote-in only those secular candidates who stand a clear chance of winning the seat and who, moreover, possess a sound moral character. They were dissuaded against selling their votes for a paltry sum and thereby paving the way for nefarious elements to enter the state legislature.

Extensive work was carried out by the Jamaat’s cadre at the grassroot level by means of press conferences, lectures in schools and colleges, discussions with community leaders and ulema, corner meetings, distribution of handbills and Juma sermons. Additionally, the power of the social media was tapped into, in order to appeal to people of all classes and religions. Articles and reports were also published in leading newspapers throughout the state to spread the message of the awareness campaign as wide as possible.

The President of JIH Maharashtra, Mr. Taufiq Aslam Khan was quoted as saying that this campaign would be active till the day of elections (15th October) in one form or the other.

It is hoped from this endeavor, which is expected to have had a reach of six crore people, that the voters would exercise their franchise without any prejudice or undue favour and bring in a government which truly is ‘Of the people’ and ‘For the people’, a government that is secular to its core and one which would strive for the Development of Maharashtra with Justice and Social Harmony.