Renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Khalilur Rehman Sajjad Naumani has issued an appeal urging Indians to vote responsibly in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
In a statement released before the first phase of voting on April 19, Maulana Naumani emphasized the significance of these elections. “This election is not like a general election but it is going to decide the future of the country,” he said.
Calling every vote “precious” and “very valuable”, the Maulana appealed to “all fellow countrymen” to exercise their franchise. “As a responsible citizen of India I appeal to all…that your every vote is very valuable and will have a far reaching impact. So all of you must go to the polling booth to cast your precious vote.”
Maulana Naumani urged people to form local groups to spread voter awareness. “The responsible people of the neighborhood should form small groups and ensure that every person above the age of 18 goes to vote. For this, go to every house and work to create awareness about voting.”
He cautioned against splitting votes or being misled by candidates merely seeking to garner votes. “There are many candidates for each seat. Among them there are those who don’t care about winning or losing, they just want to get votes. So don’t let your precious votes get divided,” Maulana Naumani stated.
“There are people among Muslims too who work to steal votes by taking some money. Be careful not to split your vote,” he added.
The scholar called on citizens to use their vote to reject candidates promoting hatred and dividing society. “Stop the candidate belonging to the party spreading hatred and dividing the society with the power of your vote.”
While urging people to vote strategically, Maulana Naumani said, “Everyone knows which candidate is winning, even if you don’t like them personally. We and you should rise above our likes and dislikes and see what is best for our country. The welfare of the country is more important than personal gain.”
He emphasized that full voter participation is key to preventing communal forces from gaining power. “Every Indian citizen should exercise 100% voting rights so that the country does not fall into the hands of communal forces. Your vote should be for the development of the country, love, harmony and trust in the society.”
Maulana Naumani signed off with an appeal “for the love of my country”, expressing hope that Indians will “play their important role to maintain peace and brotherhood in the country.”
