Mumbai: 500 Muslims from Andheri's Gilbert Hill join BJP

MUMBAI: Approximately 500 members of the Muslim community joined the BJP in Gilbert Hill precinct of Andheri West on Saturday.
Yusuf Khan Ghouse Khan of the party's national executive said these residents had pledged support to MLA Ameet Satam who facilitated a water tank for the locality and helped repair a broken road, all within three months of making a request.
"Development is the overriding concern. Muslims are willing to shed their reservations towards the BJP and accept a legislator who is working for development," Khan said. "The occasion was the inauguration of a private layout road which was in bad condition for over ten years as well as a water tank facility serving over 500 homes which were also falling apart. Satam facilitated both tasks within a span of three months from the date of the request," he added.
Yusuf Khan is a longtime aide of Satam who negotiates his entry into Muslim colonies that traditionally have been opposed, even hostile, to the BJP.
"But the MLA has done good work in Muslim localities of Andheri West," Khan said, adding, "Right from providing lights at the Muslim Qabrastan at Four Bungalows, and at Idgah Masjid at DN Nagar to installing a reverse osmosis plant drinking water facility at Idgah, he has stepped forward to help. He has installed five borewells in Muslim populated buildings, 10 toilets in Gilbert Hill area, granted an official water line connection in Muslim slums and helped construct Aksa Masjid in Juhu Lane. He assisted a maulana of Juhu Lane during his illness and facilitated a shed and boundary wall at Ajmeri Mosque. Satam is also assisting in planning a hawking zone for hawkers. Muslims in large numbers comprise the hawking fraternity in Andheri West."
Contrary to popular perception, Khan claimed large sections of Muslims would vote for Satam in the forthcoming assembly elections "looking at his commitment to developmental works". "They want to shed their inhibitions towards the BJP. Over 500 Muslims have joined the BJP today. This is an excellent example of how public mindset can change by a person's hard work," he said.