Why Have Pakistan and Jinnah Resurfaced Just Before the Elections?

Janab Aise Kaise | Real issues take back seat as UP election campaign rakes up Jinnah and Pakistan.

Government, political parties, and public need to understand that real issues won't be solved by spreading hate, passing 'abba jaan' jibes, and raking up Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman, Mohd. Irshad Alam

English Script: Naman Shah

Do politicians think voters are fools? If not, then why do the noise around Pakistan and founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah resurfaces just before the elections, but the bitter reality of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar's poverty is ignored?

The latest data sheds light on the state of poverty in India. The top-5 poorest states in the country are Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Meghalaya.

The state whose chief minister is raking up Jinnah before the election – Uttar Pradesh – is the third most poor state in the country. Instead of discussing poverty, unemployment, and inflation, netas focus on Pakistan, Hindu vs Muslim, and Jinnah.

Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report of the Union government's NITI Aayog states that more than half, that is, 51.91% of the total population in Bihar is poor. The same figure in Jharkhand is 42.16%, in Uttar Pradesh 37.79%, in Madhya Pradesh 36.65%, and in Meghalaya 32.67%.

Bihar has been under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Janata Dal (United) (JDU) rule for the last 16 years (except for the 20 months of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-JDU coalition). Jharkhand, currently governed by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress alliance, was led by a BJP CM for 17 years out of its 21 years of existence. The BJP is at the helm in Madhya Pradesh since 2003 (except between December 2018 and March 2020).

Government, political parties, and public need to understand that real issues won't be solved by spreading hate, passing 'abba jaan' jibes, and raking up Jinnah.

Healthcare, education, employment, security, electricity, roads, water, and equality should be the real poll issues. What has Pakistan got to do with elections in India? Why shamsham-kabristan are raked up before elections.

Voters have the chance to elect public representatives on the basis of real issues. But if politicians continue to deviate from real issues, you must ask... Janab, Aise Kaise?