Thread by @DearthOfSid

Islamophobia is so normalised in this society that someone like Owaisi is "counter-radicalising" the people, but Mayawati is representing the oppressed people and giving them a voice. So, the former will always be accused of "vote-cutting" but never the latter.

If you take the example of Bihar elections alone, you will find the ridiculousness and duplicity of this argument.

Check out this thread which examines all the 20 seats contested by AIMIM and whether they hurt MGB anywhere.

Spoiler alert: They didn't!

https://twitter.com/AnonyMallu/status/1326166172182568960?s=19

Now, check out this thread which examines 8 seats contested by BSP where MGB candidate lost to NDA by a margin of less than 10k votes.

This is not even an exhaustive list, but I guess you get the drift.

https://twitter.com/AnonyMallu/status/1326438510316965891

Despite the fact that it was BSP and not AIMIM who hurt MGB's chances, you will find INC spokespersons going on national television accusing Owaisi, not Mayawati, of "counter-radicalisation" and being a "b-team of BJP" without a shred of evidence.

Because Islamophobia sells.

Don't get me wrong, neither AIMIM nor BSP are "radicalising" anyone, they are merely representing the interests of those who've been marginalised by the mainstream parties for all this while. It is their constitutional right to do so, and you're no one to deny them that.

You may not endorse identity politics, I personally don't. You may have disagreements with many of their political positions, I personally do.

But you are no one to question whether or where they should contest elections. Get that into your head.

Tell people why it's better to vote for you and not them, introspect why you alienate them, and get off your fucking high horse where you think you have the god-given right to decide who should contest where in elections.

It is upon you to earn votes, nobody owes it to you.

The worst part of all is the ridiculous false equivalence some people draw between BJP & AIMIM. They will never do this for BSP.

If you think the opposition to BJP is merely because they represent the interests of Hindus, you are just too daft to even comment on Indian politics.

If a party represents a certain community's interests, there is nothing to be opposed there, especially if that community is marginalised. The problem comes when their politics advocates supremacy and infringes upon others' rights. That is what is called majoritarianism.

It is pathetic that people, who don't understand the basics of politics, authentically try to explain how "radicalisation" & "counter-radicalisation" works, all the while being blissfully ignorant of the Islamophobic glasses they are wearing.

Wake up before it's too late.