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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

The myth of the Muslim vote in West Bengal. We aren’t a monolith

I often found myself confused by the idea of the 'Muslim vote' being treated as a single, fixed bloc—almost as if everyone already knew whom to vote for.

With the controversy around SIR and an increasingly intense political campaign, the West Bengal Assembly elections have taken the attention away from elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

What makes West Bengal so important?

The Bharatiya Janata Party has been working toward a win in the state since 2014. Among its supporters, and Hindutva believers, a victory here is seen as more than just an electoral success. It carries an ideological weight. It is tied to the idea of Hindu interests and a unified Hindu political identity.

However, what caught my eye is that this election has been picked up by international outlets as well. For example, The Guardian reported concerns about Muslims and other minorities being disproportionately removed from electoral rolls ahead of the elections.

In a state where it is widely believed that Muslim voters largely support the incumbent CM Mamata Banerjee, such developments take on a different meaning. Reports suggest that around 9.7 million names have been deleted, with about 2.7 million people challenging their removal. TMC claimed it was vote theft.

But what is interesting........

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