‘Muslims are not monolith, they vote like any other community’

It is so difficult to believe that this is the same man who introduced me to this land. I believe there is a reason why God has sent me here. It has been a meaningful journey for me, from Bollywood to politics. You can see the reality of how people live. I believe I can make a difference to their lives. That is what makes me withstand all the abuse, the innuendo. If you don’t accept the abuse, it will not affect you. You see I take all of this on my chin.

My first language is Telugu and now I am in the midst of Hindi heartland. Actually, from Rajahmundry, where I was born, to Mumbai and now Rampur, it has been a fantastic journey. I feel I am the bridge between the South and the North. From AP to UP is equal to JP.

This was the main question — whether the Muslims will support a BJP candidate in Rampur. I myself was not confident. I didn’t know where to begin. But the moment I set foot in Rampur, all doubts have vanished. People have showered so much love and affection. This is a Muslim-dominated area. Almost 52 per cent people are Muslims. But no community is a monolith. When Azam Khan makes a distinction among people — lower strata of Muslims and the upper crust — people, too, have been divided in their support to Azam Khan. So I would say don’t make the mistake of looking at Muslims as one block. They are people like anybody else. They make their choices and are divided on different issues.

For me, communal divisions have never been an issue. Mulayam Singh ji sent me here and people accepted me. I made no distinction because I am from a different culture and the film industry is secular. And people, be it Muslims or Hindus, made no difference either.

I believe that my sisters and brothers in Rampur will be as outraged as anyone with a modicum of decency at the abuse and invective that Azam Khan has hurled against me — I am nautch girl, Amrapali, Nagar Vadhu, bad character.

What does a common person want in the end? Safety and security for his family and womenfolk. I will tell you a deeper story behind all of this. The problem with Azam Khan is that when I first came here, he thought I will not take my work seriously as I am a film star and would run away to Mumbai, and he can continue to run Rampur like a fiefdom.

But I did not do that. Once I became an MP, I lived and worked with the people. He could not stand that. That is why he is making personal attacks against me. And for those who believe — Rampur has 52 per cent Muslims, who would vote en masse for Azam Khan — I will say that there are at least 50 per cent among the Muslims who have been harassed and tortured by him and they will support me because I have stood by them. I represented Rampur twice and people know my hard work.

Look at the language he uses. He talks in the same way about Mayawati ji also. I appealed to her that she, being a woman, should not support Azam Khan. I have been disappointed by Dimple Yadav (SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s wife).

She described his inner wear jibe at me as a “very small thing”. It is very unfortunate that Azam Khan’s son, who is like a child to me, is also calling me names. He apparently said they want “Ali, Bajrang Bali but not Anarkali”, which was a reference to me. I can only tell him that he would go far in life if he learns to respect women. I am sure common people understand what I am going through and whom I am fighting. I am sure they will support me above caste and communal lines.

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