Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

Magicians of yarn yearn for relief as polls home in on weavers’ belt

MUBARAKPUR (AZAMGARH)/ KHALILABAD (SANT KABIR NAGAR)/ TANDA (AMBEDKARNA­GAR): The spotlight is on the weaver-dominated areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh as the sixth and seventh phases of the Lok Sabha elections move into this region of artisans.

The weavers’ vote will be decisive in Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkarna­gar, Azamgarh, Lalganj, Domariyaga­nj and Bhadohi Lok Sabha constituen­cies going to polls in the sixth phase on Saturday.

The Samajwadi Party has not fielded Muslim candidates in any of these 14 constituen­cies. Yet, it has organised yatras in eastern Uttar Pradesh to highlight weavers’ problems and demand better facilities and support for them. Contesting polls on the OBC-Muslim formula , the SP is hopeful of the community’s support. The BSP has fielded candidates from the weavers’ community, also called Pasmanda Muslims, in Ambedkarna­gar, Domariyaga­nj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Lalganj and Azamgarh Lok Sabha seats.

“The BSP is working on DalitMusli­m formula in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. It had won the Ambedkarna­gar and Lalganj seats in 2019,” BSP state president Vishwanath Pal said.

With the support of weavers, the Peace Party launched by Mohammad Ayub bagged four seats in the 2012 assembly election when the SP formed a majority government. Ayub won the Khalilabad assembly seat. The weavers hoped for political empowermen­t and an improvemen­t in their condition, but the aspiration­s were shortlived as Peace Party lost support in the area. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the Peace Party has fielded candidates on a dozen seats but there is hardly any discussion about its candidates in the localities and villages dominated by weavers.

“The weavers community is supporting INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha election,” said Alamgir Ansari, resident of Khalilabad. BJP Minority Cell president Kunwar Basit Ali said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called upon party workers to reach out to the Pasmanda community to address their grievances and bring them into the mainstream. The community benefitted from the BJP government’s welfare schemes, Ali said. Mubarakpur resident Abrar Ahmad said the BJP government launched several schemes for weavers, but they did not get the benefits due to the laxity of officials.

The state government should give subsidy in electricit­y bills, develop a market for textile products and revive the societies launched for the welfare of weavers, he said.

“Once, Mubarakpur was a growing textile market in eastern Uttar Pradesh and traders from across the state as well as the neighbouri­ng states visited the town to purchase products, enabling the weavers to earn a large profit. Today, the town wears a deserted look as majority of weavers have migrated to Maharashtr­a and Gujarat. The state government should fix the daily wage of weavers and provide them a market,” said Mohammad Zubair Ansari, a weaver.

Tanda town in Ambedkarna­gar is also dominated by weavers, a majority of whom are not aware of government schemes. “Due to lack of market, the production has declined, we are surviving on ration and remittance sent by family members who have migrated to other states. During elections, politician­s make promises to get our votes, but once polling is over, they do not care about us,” said Shahnawaz Ahmed, who runs a powerloom.