During elections, everything can be given a 'Hindu vs Muslim' colour, even something as fundamental as a person’s name. For instance, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath accused the Congress candidate in Saharanpur of being Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar’s kin just because his name is Imran Masood.
This came on the heels of the BJP, in its candidate list, adding “Parsi” in brackets behind Amethi nominee Smriti Irani’s name, presumably to clarify that Irani is not a Muslim surname.
On the other hand, we have two non-Muslim candidates – one Hindu and one Sikh – from two different states and parties, who proudly flaunt their Muslim-sounding names as well as the story behind how they got them. The other thing common between both of them? They are both Dalits.
Meet Samajwadi Party candidate in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich, Shabbir Ahmad Valmiki and Congress candidate from Faridkot in Punjab, Mohammad Sadique.
Legal Battle to Prove One’s Faith
Mohammad Sadique, a popular Punjabi folk singer, belongs to the Dom sub-group of the Marasi community. Traditionally considered singers and musicians, Marasis trace their ancestry to Guru Nanak’s companion Bhai Mardana, who used to play the Rabab. The religious identity of Marasis is fluid, with many having Muslim names. However, most descendants of Bhai Mardana, like Sadique, identify themselves as Sikhs.
In the 2012 Assembly elections, Sadique was elected from the Bhadaur constituency in Barnala district, which is reserved for people belonging to Scheduled Castes.
As Muslims are not allowed to claim SC status, his election was challenged in court. The Punjab and Haryana High Court set aside Sadique’s election based on the allegation that he is a Muslim.
He challenged it in the Supreme Court and in 2016, the apex court overturned the High Court’s verdict and upheld Sadique’s election. During the trial, Sadique was asked to list the five Kakars or compulsory articles of Sikhism as well as recite the Mool Mantar, which he did successfully.
It took the highest court of the land to legally establish that Sadique is a Sikh, the religion he had been following since his childhood.
The Faridkot Lok Sabha seat from where Sadique has been nominated, is witnessing a multi-cornered contest between the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, Aam Aadmi Party and the newly formed Punjabi Ekta Party.
While the Akali Dal is yet to declare its candidate, the AAP has fielded sitting MP Professor Sadhu Singh. The Punjabi Ekta Party, which was formed by rebel AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, has fielded the sitting MLA from Jaito in the Faridkot district, Master Baldev Singh.
Interestingly Baldev Singh had defeated Sadique in Jaito in the 2017 Assembly elections.
Muslim Family Saves Hindu Child From ‘Evil Spirits’
According to a news report, the SP candidate from Bahraich, Shabbir Ahmed Valmiki said that the story behind his name goes back to his father, Baberu Lal Valmiki.
Apparently his father was unable to have a child and married thrice just so that he could have children. When he finally had a child in his third marriage, the father gave the newborn baby to a Muslim family to “protect him from evil spirits”.
The Muslim family took care of the child for a few weeks and named him Shabbir Ahmed. They returned the infant to his parents and Shabbir Ahmed never met the Muslim family again.
However, Valmiki decided against changing his name later and embraced his identity as a Dalit Hindu named Shabbir Ahmed. In fact, while contesting elections, he even flaunts his name to woo Muslim voters.
In 2007, Valmiki won from the Charda Assembly seat in Bahraich, which has since ceased to exist due to delimitation.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he gave a decent fight to the BJP’s Savitri Bai Phule from the reserved seat, losing by less than one lakh votes.
This election, Phule will be Valmiki’s main rival once again but this time, she is contesting on a Congress ticket. The BJP, on the other hand, has fielded Akshaywar Lal Gaud.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)