Muslims upset as Mulayam Singh Yadav adopts Tamauli village without any from community

LUCKNOW: When Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav adopted Tamauli in his constituency Azamgarh, he had the Muslim community unhappy. The reason: The village he chose under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana has no Muslims.

"Mulayam seems to be the Modi of Uttar Pradesh. Even Modi adopted Jayapur, which is devoid of Muslim population. What is the difference then," said Maulana Amir Rashaadi, president of Azamgarh-based Rashtriya Ulema Council, which had contested the Assembly polls in 2012 and Lok Sabha elections against SP in Azamgarh and adjoining districts this year.

Tamauli has a population of 3,356, over 85 per cent of which is Yadavs. Tamauli village pradhan Ram Lakhan Yadav, told TOI that there were no Muslims in the village.

Political observers say that having faced a tough time winning the Azamgarh seat - especially due to a perceived shift in Yadav votes from SP -- it could be an attempt to send a message to the Yadavs that the party has not deserted them.

"The choice of village has left Muslims confused. Those shortlisting names of villages may have overlooked this fact but it could have been rectified," said Qari Qutubuddin of Ek Minara Masjid.

Mulayam's constituency representative Havaldar Yadav, who is also the president of the party's district unit, said the village was chosen as it is close to the district headquarters and was underdeveloped.

"Surveys conducted to shortlist villages eligible for adoption under the scheme have no information on the demography of the villages," said Azamgarh district magistrate Ranveer Prasad.