Mumbai Shia Muslims Threaten NOTA If Community Candidates Are Ignored In Civic Polls

Mumbai: Shia Muslim groups have threatened to boycott or press the NOTA (not any of the above) button in the coming municipal body elections if political parties do not nominate members of the community as candidates.

Groups representing the community held a meeting in Govandi on Friday to address the long-standing issue of political representation for the Shia community. Arif Abbas Sayyed, general secretary of the Mumbai Youth Congress and president of the Govandi Shia Youth Brigade, said that despite a large Shia population in the city, which he estimated to be nearly two million, political parties have never granted representation to the community. He said this was clear injustice and discrimination.

Sayyed said that Govandi, Mankhurd, and Shivaji Nagar areas are hubs of the community, with 10,000 to 15,000 Shias in most municipal wards, especially ward 139 (Lotus Colony) that has nearly 20,000 to 25,000 Shias. He said that a Shia candidate must be given a party ticket from the ward. “This decision will not only impact Ward 139 but will influence the entire Mankhurd–Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituency,” he said.

Abid Abbas Sayyed, an advocate and trustee of the Al Abbas Charitable Foundation which organised the meeting said that Shias are spread across seven to eight assembly constituencies, including Mankhurd–Shivaji Nagar, Kurla, Byculla, Bandra, Andheri, Mumbadevi, and parts of south Mumbai.

“If political parties continue to ignore these demands, the community will launch democratic protests and intensify its call for political reservation for Shias in the BMC, ensuring long-overdue justice and proper representation,” said Sayyed.

Mehraj Rizvi, another participant in the meeting, said that because the community has no representation in the municipal corporation, they have no one to raise their concerns. “We had to wait for nearly 40 years for a graveyard in Mankhurd that can be exclusively used by us. Our demand for Karbala land, which is for the Muharram rituals that take over two and quarter months, remains unmet due to lack of representation,” said Rizvi. “We appeal to parties to give Shia candidates a chance to contest elections in areas where the community is in a majority.”

Arif Abbas Sayyed said that the last Member of the Legislative Assembly from the community was Syed Ahmed from the Congress who represented Nagpada assembly constituency, now renamed Mumbadevi, for five terms. “Whichever political party fulfills this legitimate demand will receive the full support and united votes of the Shia community in the upcoming municipal elections,” added Sayyed.

Party leaders said that parties choose candidates on the basis of their winning ability. Abu Asim Azmi, Samajwadi Party MLA from Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar said that the party will hire an agency to do an election survey. “Without a survey of ground conditions, we cannot give away tickets. The reservations for the municipal seats have been announced and there will be pressure groups who want to promote their candidate. We will definitely consider a Shia candidate who can win. However, if candidates are chosen as Sunnis, Shias, Barelvis, there will be no end to the demand,” said Azmi.

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