In the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, the Hyderabad constituency holds significant importance in national politics. BJP Hyderabad MP contestant, Smt K Madhavi Latha, shares her prospects and challenges in the political battle in an exclusive interview with K Surender, Organiser Bureau Chief, South. Excerpts :
What is your biggest challenge in campaigning in the old city of Hyderabad, a constituency considered a bastion of AIMIM and Owaisi for the last four decades?
The biggest challenge in the old city of Hyderabad is in the kind of hatred that has been instilled in Muslim youngsters, particularly those who are typically uneducated and unaware that a country thrives on unity, not hatred as propagated and nurtured by MP Asaddudin Owaisi, AIMIM MLAs, and his leaders for decades.
Another challenge has been a concerning trend of dilution in political strategies and agendas. Parties like Congress and BRS go to elections against AIMIM, but they end up with a hidden or open alliance immediately after the elections, either surrendering or succumbing to their influence. For instance, CM Revant Reddy was critical and dead against Owaisi, but now it looks like he surrendered or compromised to AIMIM. All this happened while some Hindu voters might have hoped for a positive change by voting for Congress but ended up compromising, posing a threat to elected Governments.
Hyderabad’s old city is infamous for women trafficking, missing girls and exploitation of poor Muslim females, who fall victim to temporary marriages with Arabs. How do you look at these issues as a politician and as a woman?
In the Hyderabad constituency, both Muslim and Hindu women are vulnerable and victims of different forms of trafficking. Due to the extreme economic hardships faced by Pasmanda Muslim families, young girls are often lured into marriages (Nikah), be they temporary or permanent, with rich families within the country or outside the country. These girls are subsequently exploited as domestic workers or maids, with the threat of instant triple talaq hanging over them. In the case of Hindu girls, they are being trapped and trafficked in the name of love and romantic relationships by boys who are paid to do so. Moreover, there are centres in the constituency to execute this kind of activity.
What is your perspective on the Islamic radicalisation in Hyderabad, where banned outfits like SIMI and PFI have networks in the city and Owaisi extends legal support to youth caught by agencies with links to the Islamic State and ISI?
Due to lack of development and proper education in the Hyderabad constituency for decades, people are pushed into the dark and they have not tasted the respected white-coloured life, for which they need to be shown and developed with access to all kinds of facilities, which are missing due to the politics of Owaisi.
Here, I would cite Fatawa-e-Alamgiri which was codified during the male chauvinist Aurangzeb period and brought the rude side of Islam and destruction to the country and was later supported by the British. Once the people realise that this is not good for the country or people, then we see them growing and coming out of the dark side. As West Asian countries rejected this Fatawa-e-Alamgiri, we can see the Hindu temples coming to the UAE.
“Owaisi never bothered about extending legal support to women trafficked or people in trouble but gets ready to support those caught or accused by security agencies of terrorist activities”
Owaisi never bothered about extending legal support to women trafficked or people in trouble but gets ready to support those caught or accused by security agencies of terrorist activities. He needs to understand safety and security as the people’s representative. Unfortunately, he is representing Hyderabad with an agenda to make Hyderabad as backward as possible.
As a woman, I relate the situation to cleaning a dark storeroom. When we start cleaning, numerous hidden creatures such as gems and rats will emerge. After complete cleaning and suitable lighting arrangements, no dangerous animal will be able to shelter in that storage room. Under such conditions and strict surveillance, we can ensure peace and prosperity in the constituency within five years.
How are you going to convey PM Modi’s agenda of Viksit Bharat in your campaign?
Wherever I am during the campaign, I speak about the programmes and schemes designed by Modiji for Viksit Bharat. As an educated woman, social worker, artist by nature and entrepreneur, I find these programmes exceptionally interesting, exciting and spotless. A person does not need to use too much intelligence. You simply have to do what is told. Whatever is said by PM Modiji is like a wonderful book of commandments. Just don’t look right or left. His guidance is straightforward; do as expected. It’s like another Constitution to convert a constituency into the best-performing one. To achieve this task, representatives of the constituency should be loyal, sincere and dedicated. I would like to stay as close as possible to help, motivate and pump energy into them so that I can convert this constituency into the best constituency in a very short period.
What are the assurances you are going to give if you are elected as an MP for Hyderabad?
Three important issues which need to be addressed are basic civic amenities, safety and security and taking development to the next level. Still, the people in the old city live in narrow lanes under unhygienic conditions with no water services or drainage system. I saw drainage water mixed with drinking water while I was on a padayatra. People deserve to live in better houses, which were denied by AIMIM. Not having access to schools and hospitals is a big challenge for the people.
Women and families living in these areas are vulnerable; they walk for one or two km to access public transportation due to narrow lanes and congested housing. School-going and college-going girls and working women find it difficult to walk where there is no security or street lights at night, not knowing what will happen on these lanes.
“Hindu girls are being trapped and trafficked in the name of love and romantic relationships by boys who are paid to do so. Moreover, there are centres in the constituency to execute this kind of activity”
Moreover, the Hyderabad constituency has a maximum number of Hindu temples and several monuments that were constructed centuries ago. All of them need to be saved and preserved. There is a threat to temple lands and encroachment is rampant. That needs to be addressed.
People who live in this constituency are in utter poverty; they can’t even spend Rs 100 for garbage collection. The artisan skills of old city people, like making bangles and artisans of Chandi ka Warq (silver leaves) in the lanes of Charminar and Laad Bazaar need to be promoted.
Who doesn’t want to have malls, movie theaters and eat streets? Who wouldn’t want manufacturing units and craftspeople with cottage industries? The people of the old city deserve this kind of facility and I would like to address these issues. We need to preserve the distinctive history, culture, and identity of the old city of Hyderabad.
Congress has accused AIMIM of being the B team of the BJP. What is your response?
That’s nonsense; we witnessed an alliance among AIMIM, Congress and BRS till date. When AIMIM and BRS worked together, destruction followed, particularly at the State level. Now, if AIMIM and Congress join forces, the threat level will elevate for national destruction and intensify, which is more dangerous. People need to understand the underlying agenda behind their AIMIM and Congress collaboration. Modiji’s efforts to build a strong nation are at risk of collapse. Consider who truly holds nationalistic sentiments; Asadduddin never says Jai Bharat; the same is true of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi , who have neither respect nor love for Bharat and its emotions. These two parties are opportunists, and now merging poses a significant threat, potentially surpassing any calamities seen in history. Each vote cast for AIMIM, or Congress, is akin to carrying a bomb in one’s pocket. The development of Hyderabad has stagnated for over 40 years due to this. Personalities like CM Revat Reddy and Asaduddin showcase the volatility of political alliances, making it crucial for people to wake up and safeguard their interests and those of the nation.
