Muslims 'reject' religious polarisation of Jamaat-e-Islami: Marxist victory in Kulgam, Kashmir

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*

In the international sphere, an orgy of imperialist violence and wars on multiple fronts is unleashed on the world's population to divide people on religious and nationalist lines, destabilise peace, deepen crises, and control resources in the name of nationalism and religion. Under the guise of fighting Islamic terrorism and exporting the so-called market-led Western democracy, imperialist powers are ghettoising Muslims to control natural resources in various parts of Asia, as well as in Arab and Middle Eastern countries.

Hindutva forces, as allies of Western imperialism, are unleashing everyday street violence against Muslims in India in the name of creating an exclusionary Hindu state (Hindu Rashtra) by dismantling the egalitarian citizenship rights granted by the Indian Constitution.

Amidst the backdrop of the othering and ghettoisation of Muslims, the victory of Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate and communist leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami in the Kulgam constituency of Kashmir in the recently concluded elections offers hope, as it shatters both imperialist propaganda on the international stage and Hindutva campaigns within the country.

Despite the dominant narrative of religious and majoritarian identity-based political campaigns, the communists managed to retain their electoral victory in Kulgam, largely due to people’s trust and political efforts led by the Communist Party under the leadership of Tarigami, who focused on addressing the everyday issues of the people.

Although the majority of people in the Kulgam constituency are Muslims, they did not vote along religious lines. Instead, the Muslims of Kulgam rejected religious polarisation by defeating the hardline, Jamaat-e-Islami-supported candidate. This marks Tarigami's fifth victory in Kulgam, having also won the constituency in the 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2014 elections. By voting for communist leader Mr. Tarigami, the people of Kashmir have rejected the religious politics of the Hindutva-PDP alliance, instead choosing secular politics.

The victory of the CPI(M) candidate reflects the fact that the Muslims of Kulgam opted for class politics over majoritarian religious identity politics of dominance. This election result offers hope for the future of class-based politics in Kulgam, Kashmir, and India as a whole.

The victory of class politics in this Kashmir constituency also reflects the democratic resilience of the communists, who are fighting against all odds in the contemporary political landscape of regional and national politics in India. However, mainstream media portrays this victory as the isolated success of a leftist leader, aiming to undermine the political consciousness of voters and their support for the Communist Party in the elections.

Such a ruling-class agenda serves to perpetuate stereotypes against Muslims. This victory of the communists in Kulgam dispels two dominant myths about Muslims: first, that Muslims vote along religious lines, and second, that Muslims are not secular.

Mr Tarigami has always believed and argued that “the tradition of Kashmir has always been the sacrifices of the working class, and we are hopeful that it will continue. The Zaldagar martyrs of 1865 laid the foundation of a struggle against the exploitation and atrocities on the artisans, a prominent section of the working class. The Shawlbaff protest launched at Zaldagar against the ruling class has given vent to numerous movements of the working class which are awaiting successful culmination.”

Such a political approach underscores the historical foundations of working-class politics represented by Mr. Tarigami, rooted in a legacy of solidarity and radical struggles for livelihoods, human rights, and better working conditions in Kashmir and beyond.

The victory of class politics in Kulgam demonstrates that the struggles of the working class are central to various communities and their efforts for effective political mobilisation for democratic, secular and scientific transformation aimed at achieving social, economic, and political justice and equality. Religious politics domesticates individuals and their creative labour, serving to uphold the interests of both ruling and non-ruling elites.

Voting for religious politics within an electoral democracy often facilitates capitalist interests, which are contrary to the needs of the working masses. In contrast, working-class politics can truly uphold and realise the aspirations of the people while promoting the sustainability of the planet.

The rise of class politics is essential for defeating imperialist geopolitics, religious fundamentalism, and terrorist violence in Kashmir, which undermine peace in the region. Grassroots activism focused on the everyday issues faced by people can ensure peace and prosperity while deepening democracy and empowering inalienable and universal citizenship rights as outlined in the Indian Constitution.

For now, it is time to celebrate this significant victory of class politics in the Kashmir elections.

---

*Scholar based in UK

Comments

When a lake becomes real estate: The mismanagement of Hyderabad’s waterbodies

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava* Misunderstood, misinterpreted and misguided governance and management of urban lakes in India —illustrated here through Hyderabad —demands urgent attention from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the political establishment, the judiciary, the builder–developer lobby, and most importantly, the citizens of Hyderabad. Fundamental misconceptions about urban lakes have shaped policies and practices that systematically misuse, abuse and ultimately erase them—often in the name of urban development.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

When grief becomes grace: Kerala's quiet revolution in organ donation

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Kerala is an important model for understanding India's diversity precisely because the religious and cultural plurality it has witnessed over centuries brought together traditions and good practices from across the world. Kerala had India's first communist government, was the first state where a duly elected government was dismissed, and remains the first state to achieve near-total literacy. It is also a land where Christianity and Islam took root before they spread to Europe and other parts of the world. Kerala has deep historic rationalist and secular traditions.

Bangladesh goes to polls as press freedom concerns surface

By Nava Thakuria* As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritize the greater interests of the Muslim-majority nation, regardless of the poll outcomes.

Beyond the conflict: Experts outline roadmap for humane street dog solutions

By A Representative In a direct response to the rising polarization surrounding India’s street dog population, a high-level coalition of parliamentarians, legal experts, and civil society leaders gathered in the capital to propose a unified national framework for humane animal management. The emergency deliberations were sparked by a recent Suo Moto judgment that has significantly deepened the divide between animal welfare advocates and those calling for the removal of community dogs, a tension that has recently escalated into reported violence against both animals and their caretakers in states like Telangana.

Why 20 years later, Rang De Basanti feels less like cinema, more like warning

By Mohd Ziyaullah Khan* This Republic Day , the Rang De Basanti , starring Aamir Khan , completed 20 years since its release. I first watched it in a single-screen theatre in my city—at a time when multiplexes were only just beginning to appear and our town was still waiting for one. It remains my favourite film, and I often revisit it on OTT platforms or television around Independence Day or Republic Day, when the air is thick with rehearsed patriotism. A few days ago, I noticed it streaming again on Jio Hotstar . Released in 2006, it is a film I have watched many times over the years. Yet, like all powerful cinema, returning to it at different stages of life offers a different experience. Twenty years ago, I found it deeply inspiring. In 2026, watching it again felt suffocating. At its core, the film follows a group of Delhi University friends who challenge the might of the central government after one of their own, a flight lieutenant, is killed in a MiG aircraft crash alleged...

Stray dogs, an epsilon (ϵ) problem: Of child labour, and the art of misplaced priorities

By Bhaskaran Raman The Greek alphabet ϵ (epsilon) is used in maths and science to denote a quantity which is not zero, but extremely small *** Since the Supreme Court's interim order on the issue of stray dogs came out on 07 Nov 2025, there have been a range of opinion pieces speaking for the voiceless. Most of them take the stance that there is a "problem" with stray dogs, but that we need a humane solution. I agree with this broadly, but I think we need new terminology to talk about this.

A. R. Rahman's ‘Yethu’ goes viral, celebrating Tamil music on the world stage

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Good news for Tamil music lovers—the Mozart of Madras is back in the Tamil music industry with his song “Yethu” from the film “Moonwalk.” The track has climbed international charts, once again placing A. R. Rahman on the global stage.

Constitution vs. mining: The trial of environmental justice in Pachama Dadar

By Raj Kumar Sinha* The auction process for the Pachama Dadar bauxite block in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, was initiated in 2023. Yet a closer examination of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted for this proposed mining project reveals serious procedural and substantive failures that call into question the legitimacy of the entire exercise.

Search This Blog