Stopped from Voting: For Muslims in Sambhal, UP, ‘World's Biggest Democracy is World's Biggest Sham'

For Sambhal's Muslim voters "the world's biggest democracy is the world's biggest sham": Scholar and journalist, Ziya Us Salam, to Karan Thapar for The Wire.
...........................................
Commenting on deeply disturbing reports that on 7th May a large number of Muslim voters in West UP’s Sambhal district were deliberately denied the right to vote by different elements of the state authorities, the scholar, journalist and author Ziya Us Salam says that for Sambhal’s Muslim voters “the world’s biggest democracy has become the world’s biggest sham”. He said the electoral exercise had been made “a mockery”. He verified reports put out by the online educator Nabeela Khwaja and the documentary maker Samdish that a large number of Muslim voters were told their name was not on the voting list (which was false and nothing but deliberate obstruction), lathi-charged, their election slips torn, their Aadhaar cards confiscated and often accused of impersonation or having false Aadhaar cards. The aim, as Mr. Salam put it, was to put every possible obstacle in the way of a large number of Muslim voters who are perceived to be voters for the opposition.
In a 21-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Mr. Salam, an Associate Editor of The Hindu and the author of ‘Being Muslim in Hindu India’, said what happened at Sambhal was “an experiment” designed to prevent Muslims voting. However, he says similar things happened during a bye-election in Rampur in 2022.
Reports of what happened at Sambhal first surfaced when Nabeela Khwaja wrote an article in Article 14. They were further corroborated and expanded upon when Samdish put out a 20-minute video called Unfiltered. Mr. Salam added to this. He says many of the Muslim voters of Sambhal, who were denied the right to vote, contacted him for help.
Mr. Salam says the UP authorities have not acted because they completely deny all attempts to obstruct Muslim voters and, as he says, blame the failure of Muslims to vote on the claim they were carrying fake documents.
I will stop at this point. This is an interview you should see for yourself. It’s a shocking example of how attempts were made to prevent our Muslim brothers and sisters from voting. The people involved included the police and other administration officials.
Join The Wire's KZbin Membership and get exclusive content, member-only emojis, live interaction with The Wire's founders, editors and reporters and much more. Memberships to The Wire Crew start at Rs 89/month. / @thewirenews

[@arshianasreen583]

Salute to Karan Thapar for being the voice of oppressed, be it minorities or the tribes of Manipur and etc. We wish you more guidance and success. May God protect you and bless you.

[@ramraghuwanshi2562]

lets hope he raise for opressed kafi minority of kashmir, pakistan afghanistan

[@AzharKaz]

Thanks The Wire for bringing out this report of what’s happening on the ground. These reports will be an eternal document and evidence of the systematic disenfranchisement of Muslims of India

[@nlampha1254]

There must be repoll in that constituency.

[@syedmoinmunawar]

Very bold and independent interview with Ziya us salam who very clearly and bravely described the atrocities committed by police and election officials on Muslims at polling booths.

[@pavarmehul8280]

Corrupt people ' s wealthness is the cause of our nation 's Poorness... .. Not the population!!!!

[@dutt2312]

True that.. 1% of richest indians have cornered 40% of nation's wealth (Report by wealth inequality lab)

[@1008apocalypse1008]

@@dutt2312 Those 1% includes IAS/IPS/IRS, railway officers, PWD engineers, waqf board chairman etc

[@732anoop]

Communism is the reason for India’s poverty

[@dutt2312]

@@1008apocalypse1008 🤣🤣 Selctive ignorance..!! Go and check 21 super rich individuals owning more wealth than 70crore Indians together..!! (oxfam report) And this top layer doesn't includes those you chose to mention first. They are in 1% but they come in "etc" 🤣🤣

[@1008apocalypse1008]

@@dutt2312 Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos are richer than those top 20 families put together but still you would happily use their products without a blink of an eye.

[@ashwinimehta]

This is deplorable.. it is not fair

[@bijumathew540]

The mother of democracy....What a rotten system.

[@AftabKhan-lg8uc]

Karan thanks, you brought Zia again in your program. Zia is softly speaking the horrible occuriring in Sambhal and earlier in Rampur.

[@crispy-biscuit]

Block the money of BJP that came via Electoral Bonds and redo the election. Some folks of the first phase who voted for BJP would like to change now.

[@hammer67459]

Agreed, all parties should return the money taken from electoral bonds.

[@bhaskarchoudhury5260]

Only Karan ji can bring such injustice to light.

[@user-tl4vo5cy9r]

Is It enough that only a few can voice dissent against injustice. Hope & faith seem to be the only cushion that many of us have in this nation. Thanks again Karan Saab & your brave interviewee Zia Us Salam.

[@VirginTruths]

in Manipur also, Arambai Tengol capture booth n cast for BJP vote again and again by themselves, n in other some area election booth closed very early,,

[@sareshn]

Very good subject 👏👏👏

[@nilgiri98]

This is the great India that God Modi will make Viksit. Vomit worthy

[@hammer67459]

So, you want Pappu's Viksit? That idea does deserve a visit to the toilet.

[@chater453]

​@hammer67459 much better then bjp modi an tadipaar amit shah, yogi...

[@hammer67459]

@@chater453 Seventy years of Khangress is enough. Time for them to retire to Italy, that is after serving time for all the corruption they have done.

[@shinonomebapat]

ありがとうございます！

[@irfannazir4831]

No godi media show such news

[@kon395]

Much appreciates you Sir coz you exposed Prashant kishor in your recent interview 😂😂

[@HIndia-ky3me]

whatever do they are brother donot mind Congress will win InshaAllah, Beacuse 1 voter is =to 100000 per year.

[@dutt2312]

Sir, modi expressed his wish on bharatsamachar to be interviewd by you or ravish kumar. Please do an unscripted interview with modi..

[@sabihasaud8156]

ECI pls listen to this & take action

[@ozyreynolds7403]

Unfortunately, the Election Commission of India is in the pocket of the government

[@suryaprakash72771]

DOWN with the fascist Hindutva communal party of BJPee

[@hammer67459]

Yes, Vote AIMIM.

[@grandmasterjo1]

It’s so difficult to believe this is happening in our beloved country 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@saffiudeenbe]

Thanks

[@smiritigoswamiclass-5.398]

We are always with neutral and intellectual media and Karan Thapar.❤😂🎉.

[@hawabashir1558]

Kapdon se pehchane Jatay hain hum log

[@shazmatica]

This interview should have been much longer and detailed. There were similar cases in Mathura too. KT should have also asked what the opposition was doing to raise concerns about this.

[@tusoringa]

It seems clear that Modi and his supporters' "Abki bar 400 par" slogan is close to collapsing. Re-polling should be done in these constituencies. This act is against the Fundamental rights, therefore, those involved in this kind of act should be put behind bars.

[@shamsa6493]

Good suggestion. Re-polling should be done.

[@iqbalfazli371]

it happned on larger scale in past im other constituencies...

[@youknow6968]

This is nothing new in India, these people have only just discovered it. Pretty pathetic.

[@sumnasadaqat7738]

Thank God someone is speaking the truth. Great conversation.

[@abhijitghosh5662]

Many ppl cannot vote in West Bengal also....

[@balur104]

Thank you so much to Zia Us Salam ji and Karan Thapar ji Good interview

[@naturegirl4803]

When I saw video from sambal, I felt hapless, horrified and anguished. I don't know how eci is seeing this kinds of incidents occuring in Modi's India, how can minority be ensured justice, security and equal law for all. Pathetic scenario.

[@sunilkilaru1704]

Karan you have Picked correct person for Interview After PK Stroke Made for Each other Your Audiencee will Enjoy this after Harrowing Nightmarish interview with PK what a combination Happy days are heare again Thums upp by the way Tamil DMK has told Biharis & UP People are Bathroooom cleaners Weather he subscribes or condems his Tamil mates Remarks pl

[@sundarikalyana8121]

In fact in TN under DMK government most of the UP and Bihar people are employed, earning and sending money to their families.. Please don't keep spreading this non sense.

[@brksk4309]

Why drag tamilnadu unnecessarily. Have some shame before concocting something.

[@mswnzki4427]

A very true topic, the same thing happened in Manipur Ukhrul District attack by BJP group saying vote to BJP otherwise go home.

[@mnaurali6336]

Salute 🙏 to Karan Sir for maintaining disinterested and independent position while interviewing interviewees

[@abdulbasith8295]

Thanks a lot Karan sir. For once again taking up the issue of planned &systemic Disfranchisement of Muslims. What happened in sambhal, could happen elsewhere, If not brought to the limelight

[@azeemsoona]

As an Indian in the UK, I have the right to vote for Mayor elections and I registered online. Democracy has no meaning in India. Far from it. People are not aware of their rights and power that democracy provides. And democracy is always denied to large sections of the population

[@sm9214]

Pakistan is the perfect democracy.

[@azaanwrites5474]

Bro,druv rathe was right, country is falling towards dictatorship.😢

[@josevenanciofernandes7328]

Shame on the BJP.

[@chandraprakashchourase8959]

Hats off to karan thapar ji for exposing the agenda of pk batting for bjp to get votes for last 2 phase of elections. You once again repeated "dosti bane rahe " thing. Brave journalists like you and ravish kumar get credit for fighting the fascist regime.

[@arjun.cheeroth]

Ok so where are the opposition voting agents. I understand they're probably not as well funded but this should be something the opposition parties should be focusing on

[@sareshn]

👏👏👏👏

[@dj-goswami]

🎊2024 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS🎊 on (543) Seats Projections🎊🎉STATE CONSTITUENCIES & UNION TERRITORIES (543)🎉 . Uttar Pradesh (40/80) MAHARASHTRA (30/48) WEST BENGAL (30/42) BIHAR (20/40) Tamil Nadu (38/39) Madhya Pradesh (12/29) KARNATAKA (20/28) Gujarat (6/26) Andhra Pradesh (10/25) Rajasthan (12/25) Odisha (5/21) KERALA (20/20) TELANGANA (10/17) ASSAM (7/14) JHARKHAND (8/14) PUNJAB (13/13) Chhattisgarh (6/11) HARYANA (8/10) DELHI (6/7) Jammu & Kashmir (4/6) Uttarakhand (2/5) Himachal Pradesh (3/4) Arunachal Pradesh (1/2) Goa (1/2) Manipur (1/2) Meghalaya (1/2) Tripura (1/2) Andaman & Nicobar Islands (0/1) Chandigarh (1/1) DADRA & NAGAR Haveli (0/1) DAMAN & Diu (0/1) LAKSHADWEEP (1/1) Mizoram (1/1) Nagaland (1/1) Puducherry 0/1) Sikkim (1/1) . 40 + 30 + 30 + 20 + 38 + 12 + 20 + 6 + 10 + 12 +5 + 20 +10 + 7 + 8 +13 +6 + 8 + 6 + 4 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 320 Seats . Above projections for INDIA ALLIANCE assume free & fair elections with no manipulation in form 17C during counting of votes. . INDIA ALLIANCE 320 Seats INC 120 Seats INC PARTNERS 200 Seats . Margin for error +/- 20 Seats. 🎊2024 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS🎊 on (543) Seats Projections🎊🎉STATE CONSTITUENCIES & UNION TERRITORIES (543)🎉

[@bhupinderkumar5091]

*It had been more interesting and factual if Prashant Kishore would be present in this candid conversation...😊*

[@chater453]

Prashant Kishur is Damm, he got crore's of money 💰 from modi gov m, an modi send him now to do modi service that he is doing, shame less fellow he is...

[@jyotichakravarti9277]

Commendable job by UPAC

[@armanhadi777]

Karan Thapar you are a legend Sir, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

[@chater453]

Dekh kar sahi toh kar lo naam, Karan Thapad, not Kapar Thapad... 😊

[@sristijain6230]

It happened in Mumbai as well

[@mwaleem1]

Why part 1 and 2?

[@dr.mohd.mujahidali8053]

It's not democratic... anarchy rules.

[@bernadinedecruz1955]

Very sad.

[@udayprakashsoni6304]

Karan carries very high level of credibility! Unfortunately, other journalists are not standing up. Of course, a few of the richest have grabed almost all of the media in India.

[@NurulIslam-kc2jl]

It is indeed shocking to note policia shashan & EC.😂😂😂

[@marianfurtado7495]

Not only world's biggest Democracy, but the Mother of Democracy. What a blatant lie!

[@hammer67459]

Agreed, PK is a better democracy. You may want to migrate there.

[@milindchampanerkar1111]

Terrible....

[@mittemari]

Its pretty pathetic and disheartening to listen to auch atrocities. I have been distressed over the last decade the way a part of our Cotizens are treated and i dont like to mention as a community beacuse they are felow citozens like me. I jave beem thinking about the line of response these citizens will have to mount. I believe theu shoukd take a leaf out of the Black community in US and they way they fought against segregation and civil righta. The way balck community organised themaelves, found leaders who were educated and genuinely fought for the rights kf the community and ensured that the larger community started educating themselves and becoming financially potent part of the society. Unfortunately the community leaders are self serving and turn to religious identity rather than looking at a way to resist and increase influence in thw country. They will have to mount a serious civil rights moveemnt and build allies to get out of this tyranny from thsi regime. Many citizens like me who are distressed will happily support such a civil rigths movement. Its time we the citizens undertand our rights and fight to get it from this political system.

[@reyazkhan4189]

Shame shame!

[@chater453]

Sambhal ke logo ne un police, inspector's, aur wo saare corrupt logo ki dhulai kiu nhi kar di??? Kya wo sab waha ki public se zada the??? Kiu bina koi kasuur ke maar kha liye??? Log kiu itne kamzarf hote jaa rhe h? Galti toh un sab ki thi jo modi, tadipaar amit shah jo ab Prime Minister of India banne ki puri koshish mei laga h, un sab ko wah aki public sahi se dhulai kar deti.

[@indersinghmalik8359]

That officer is less responsible than e,c, and which authority has posted him sambl while this officers was already habitual of misdeeds in favour of BJP government during 2022by elections of Rampur so he and his appointment authority be dismissed

[@gaganr8474]

Muslim disenfranchisement is a bogey in West Bengal panchayat elections 50 percent of constituencys were opposition candidates couldn't even file nominations but wire was chup on that

[@hammer67459]

The WIRE only gets a big O on BJP issues

[@Mukesh_Devrari]

I have two things to say. It is difficult to trust Ziya Us Salaam fully, though this complaint is worth investigating. Everyone should have the right to wait. Why would anyone stop anyone from voting? Yes, it happens. Sometimes, your name is not on the list-it is in some other booth. But it is not a sinister plan of the Election Commission, but a logistical challenge to manage one billion voters. We want a fair system that does justice to everyone.

[@bhaskarchoudhury5260]

😌

[@AshokGupta-oq6hs]

Sir,election,voting,secularism not recommended in Arab religion. Long live the caliphate.

[@zak4871]

New India

[@anujsethi7845]

My friend's parents name was removed from the list

[@hammer67459]

Tell the whole story...

[@zeeshan5483]

Systematic disenfranchisement , deislamilization , downgrading to second citizen , and expelled as outsider ... These are given fate and future of "Muslim-india" under Hindu-Dominatiom ( caste) in Independent India ... as stated by M A Jinnah - Lahore resolution 1940 ... Now his two-nation theory proved correct. And Gandhi , Patel , Nehru India failed for case of Muslim .

[@pamtam1]

😂😂🤣Jinnah’s two nation theory was thrown into trash can of Pakistan (or one may say Pakistan was thrown in trash can of two nation theory, well it is difficult to say what is worse than the other) when Bangladesh was created😜😝 Disenfranchisement, deislamization (is this even a word?😜), No existence of citizenship, let alone downgrading, expulsion of Bengalis/Punjabis from Bangladesh are all features of Jinnah’s broken left over west Pakistan as it is present today. You need to come back to reality. May be you are still living in 1940s British India.😂

[@ammlu3556]

Muslims failed Gandhiji when they voted for Jinnah in 1946

[@fsckool6894]

This is why CAA was passed last minute...

[@theaubphom8013]

Has PK quit his job, sir?

[@pradipray1251]

Very very minor incident

[@azimzaheer3508]

Yesterday's show with pk was awesome This show will haunt pk for a long time 😂

[@srebalanandasivam9563]

Then the results of June 4 will haunt you people for the next century

[@azimzaheer3508]

@@srebalanandasivam9563 oh poor misguided soul... God bless you

[@srebalanandasivam9563]

@@azimzaheer3508 those who believe in qiyama which is delayed for fourteen centuries are the most misguided ones. God has forgotten you and your ummi since long. Think of that!

[@123xyzabccba]

Why Allah is not showing up during such trying times …..muslims are being persecuted every where, be it palestine, europe , myanmar and india….

[@hammer67459]

Very good question?

[@NurulIslam-kc2jl]

The manner this General Election has been conducted by the Election Commission and the BJP ruled states.😂😂😂

[@CreativeCreation01]

BJP used the same strategy in Beed District of Maharashtra. police were actionless, bogus votes are casted by BJP personal for whole village, thousands of votes were casted by single personal Even died voter's vote were casted

[@Shankar-zs5ce]

Humbug Chennai

[@IqbalKhan-pr2ug]

करण थापर जी हिंदी मे बी साक्षात्कार लिया करो 🙏

[@samsheikhonesheikh9038]

It’s a shame Muslims are not allowed to cast their votes by BJP government

[@mridini369]

S⭐StarRootS 369 ( Vibration Energy Frequency) 😍 Independent MEdia MindS Political SignS updateS ⭐Ziya uS Salman with Karan Tapar The Wire ⭐ Every Still haS a Story & Every Single One of uS are reSponSible towardS Celebrating TeacherS Life ( Mother & Father) by Decording Dr Kalam Sir Political SignS & itS RootS Dr Ambedkar INDIA viSion 2020 2050

[@sasyed8196]

In next election Modi will frame a law not to allow Muslim to participate in election if in power in 2024 .In Muslim majority booth PAC, police and administration ban entry snatching their adhar card, election voters ID card even brutally lathicharged who stand in que and pressuring vote lotus or left boothe,this happened in Utter Pradesh but election commission never recognised all these vdo sent by individuals and political parties.

[@hammer67459]

Do you know what you can do with your opinion?

[@sasyed8196]

@@hammer67459 yes,I may settle in foreign countries as my children already employed in top post as so many Indians, in America,Canada who always advise to settle after sale of belongings here.Now what you suggest.

[@amitavabiswas4155]

Karan Tappar...ka gal mae 4th june kao sab sae bara THAPPAR khaya ga😆😆😆

[@shabreenvs]

Even though bjp failed miserably

[@pynshaitbordkhar4815]

India now is smallest democracy in the world

[@DigitUnni]

No other news channel has reported this. How authentic is this?

[@kamalverma4641]

godi media is not gonna ever do it, so you can keep doubting, you are already lost, remain lost

[@hammer67459]

What ya smoking? This is the WIRE, paid by china.

[@AnshuMI2021]

Interview aravind kejriwal

[@hammer67459]

Why not, they only interview corrupt leaders.

[@goparamdewasi6946]

भारत की जड़ो से कोसो दूर हो। बंद कमरे की बकवास कोई काम की नही ।

[@vaishakh3]

Last time when the constituency allowed for seperate Muslim electorates in India, the outcome was Pakistan. So we need to ensure that constituencies are redrawn so that the Muslim vote is diluted to prevent more of the Radical forces from emerging. Even the security of Muslims , is guaranteed when we prevent Radical Muslim leadership from emerging

[@kamalverma4641]

may you remain fearful till death

[@hammer67459]

@@kamalverma4641 May you remain ignorant.

[@pamtam1]

😂More constituencies are becoming influenced by Muslim votes. The Muslim voter share is increasing more than ever before😂. And the Muslims are taking more steps to become more active in politics than ever before. 😂 Thanks to theGbbrrrrrChhhdddzzzzz😂😜🤣😂

[@sirat-al-mustaqimbyshahabs1418]

Brother before independence many places were ruled by muslim so the muslims have a superiority complex over hindus because they ruled hindus they think muslims should lead the country not hindus they accept the dominance of muslims but they can't accept the dominance of hindus so they demand pakistan and think only muslims can lead muslims better

[@rajkumarchoubey4197]

PICHKE PAPITE KA P.K.NE FALOODA BANAYA THA ?🤣🤣😜😜

[@kamalverma4641]

Abey waha logo ko vote nhi dalne diya gaya aur tum zeher ugal rahe ho, snake ho egg se nikle the

[@nasirqureshi1785]

World's largest democracy

[@i_am_lajand]

cycle se jaiye hath se kamal ka button dabaye😂😂

[@hammer67459]

And show Middle finger to Cycle and Haath.

[@VikasKumar_India]

करण थापड़ जी पीके का वीडियो दिखा दो , अखबार में। छपा कोई अखबार वाले ने आपका साथ नही दिया । KLPD हो गया दोस्त

[@gaganr8474]

Already wire starting rona dona and blaming election Commission for their masters defeat 😂😂

[@hammer67459]

The script is the same, only date on the calendar is not.

[@bhanudutt1100]

WIRE IS BEST JEHADI CHANNEL. GOD HAS MADE JIYA US SALAM FACE TO PLAY THE VICTIM CARD AT ITS BEST 😅

[@chater453]

Cry Cry more an more

[@shreedhar6419]

😂

[@goparamdewasi6946]

कुछ भी कर लो, आप का युग खत्म। आयेगी बीजेपी की सरकार। खान मार्केट, लुटियन मिडिया हाउस की बकवास कोई काम की नही। तुष्टीकरण तुम्हारी दुकान बंद। सब भारतीय नागरिक भारत को दुनिया-भर मे श्रेष्ठ भारत की ओर अग्रसर है।भारत दुनिया-मे मित्र राष्ट्र की भूमिका मे आगे बढ रहा है।

[@hritikkumar863]

Play victim card He is a pro pakistani lover😂😂

[@techcdrive1702]

चिंता से चतुराई घटे दुःख से घटे शरीर अंधभक्तों को ठोकते रहिए कह गए संत koveer। 🤣😅🤣 R55 k kachadhari tororst

[@ronaldpinto3376]

Thanks

[@amitavabiswas4155]

Karan Tappar...ka gal mae 4th june kao sab sae bara THAPPAR khaya ga😆😆😆