Saif Ali Khan, the NCP candidate from Manihari's reserved tribal seat, represents an unprecedented candidacy in Bihar — a Muslim contesting on Adivasi grounds. Outlook’s Md Asghar Khan spoke with him about identity, stereotypes, and politics.
Born in the Banjara community, Khan explains how his ancestors converted to Islam generations ago, yet their tribal identity remains constitutionally valid under Article 342. He changed his surname from Banjara to Khan to escape social stigma: “People would belittle us because of the Banjara title.”
Facing accusations of being “Bangladeshi” and questions about his Adivasi appearance, Khan challenges stereotypes: “You always imagine our community as people who should live in hills, be seen in forests, not come to the city, not lead.”
He critiques the BJP’s fear politics, noting that the “Bangladeshi” issue only surfaces during elections. His candidacy raises questions about tribal identity, religious conversion, reservation politics, and who gets to define authenticity.
Camera: Sandipan Chatterjee
Editor: Madiha Shakeel
#BiharElections #SaifAliKhan #Manihari #NCP #TribalPolitics #AdivasiIdentity
Born in the Banjara community, Khan explains how his ancestors converted to Islam generations ago, yet their tribal identity remains constitutionally valid under Article 342. He changed his surname from Banjara to Khan to escape social stigma: “People would belittle us because of the Banjara title.”
Facing accusations of being “Bangladeshi” and questions about his Adivasi appearance, Khan challenges stereotypes: “You always imagine our community as people who should live in hills, be seen in forests, not come to the city, not lead.”
He critiques the BJP’s fear politics, noting that the “Bangladeshi” issue only surfaces during elections. His candidacy raises questions about tribal identity, religious conversion, reservation politics, and who gets to define authenticity.
Camera: Sandipan Chatterjee
Editor: Madiha Shakeel
#BiharElections #SaifAliKhan #Manihari #NCP #TribalPolitics #AdivasiIdentity
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NewsTranscript
00:00if there is a mangalha is going to be a mangalha is gonna be something that is da is IISI and Pakistan is gonna be a mangalha Yesh
00:07a man become a man of our life and we will not be able to be able to achieve the same things
00:13when there comes a mangalha is a mangalha is when he comes to the mangalha is when there comes a mangalha is this command
00:20this is a fear against
00:20this is fear against the mengalha die is not this thing
00:30Hi, my name is Ghar. I'm at Bihar election coverage for Bihar.
00:35And we have a such a man named Saif Ali Khan.
00:40And he is from Bihar's reserve reserve state.
00:44We are with Saif.
00:46First of all, I would like to welcome you to Juhar.
00:49No, you can welcome us.
00:51Juhar, Namaskar, you can say something.
00:54You can say something.
00:55What we can say is our culture.
00:58Saif Ali Khan.
01:00Yes.
01:01This is the title of Khan,
01:04which are the people of Muslims.
01:07So, this is the title of Khan.
01:10And there are Muslims too.
01:13And they are from a reserve reserve state.
01:15So, this was not a result?
01:17No, it was a result.
01:19Because first of all, you will understand
01:22that if Khan has a title,
01:25then it is not a result.
01:27It is not a result.
01:28It is not a result.
01:30It is not a result.
01:31It is not a result.
01:32But the result of the interviewer,
01:34who is sitting in the assembly,
01:35who is the leader of Manohar Prasad Singh.
01:37They are the title of Singh.
01:39So, in Bihar,
01:41they are the title of Singh.
01:43So, you will think that you are the title of Kharwar.
01:48So, you are the title of the title of the title.
01:51When you went to the nomination,
01:54you have been told that you are not a person.
01:59in a day, what is the truth?
02:03We did not have a story.
02:05We did not have a story.
02:08But we did not have a story.
02:10We had a story.
02:13I was told to be a story.
02:18We did not have a story.
02:20We said that we could go.
02:22We did not have a story.
02:24We've had a story.
02:26foreign
02:32foreign
02:50foreign
02:54in the RTPs, and I deleted it from the RTPs.
02:58So, I took it.
03:00After that, we had to fix it.
03:03After that, we had to fix it,
03:05and then we had to fix it,
03:07and then we had to fix it.
03:09And then we had to fix it.
03:11And then we had to fix it.
03:13In Bihar, the first time,
03:16there was a Muslim on the street.
03:19And technically, you know that you are on the street.
03:23Not only, but also,
03:25we have to do this.
03:27When you said that.
03:29They have to fix it.
03:31OK.
03:32We all just said that.
03:33That's right.
03:37So, it should be a Muslim to do-listing.
03:41It should be a way to do-restling for our actions,
03:45because people not those who don't make it.
03:48It should be that way it should be better.
03:51so how does it play?
03:53or was it still there?
03:55No, I am going to tell you
03:57as soon as I'm being born
03:59and I'm sitting in the most
04:00and the most important part of the society
04:01in the world
04:03you go to railway station
04:05or in a village
04:07you'll see
04:08the people of Kheel Tamaasa
04:09are showing
04:10the people of Kheel Tamaasa
04:12are showing the people
04:13are showing the people
04:15are showing the people
04:16so our culture is going to be tribal
04:18I was born in a tent in the same time.
04:23God has the promise to understand those things and to some kind of society.
04:29I have studied in the mainstream.
04:32Today I have studied in the study.
04:34That is the power of education.
04:37The power of education was the power of the society.
04:41foreign
05:11and we will be able to do it.
05:13We will be able to do it.
05:15When we talk about Adivasi,
05:17there is a picture in the head.
05:19The sun, the jungle, the earth,
05:21and the clothes.
05:23But,
05:25there is no such thing.
05:27Then, Adivasi is very strange.
05:31It looks like a Muslim,
05:33who doesn't look like Adivasi.
05:35It doesn't look like Adivasi.
05:37These are no things.
05:39Look at the Laksha Deep,
05:41which is the seat.
05:43But, we will talk about our body from the present.
05:47If you are in a good clothes,
05:49if you are in a good clothes,
05:51if you are in a good clothes,
05:53or if you are in a good clothes,
05:55or if you are in a good clothes,
05:57or my body is in good clothes.
05:59I am saying that these are not
06:01that Adivasi is not coming.
06:03In the jungle, the land.
06:05We still are looking for the mountains.
06:07we are sitting still in the mountains.
06:09We are not waiting for the mountains,
06:11we are waiting for the mountains,
06:13why are we waiting for the mountains?
06:15You always think that
06:17they live in the mountains,
06:19look at the mountains,
06:21not in the city,
06:23don't do leadership,
06:25and that's why we don't care about it.
06:27We want the opportunity to reach the reserve seat.
06:29We don't need the opportunity to reach the reserve seat.
06:31When we are in your family,
06:33When we look at Adivasiyat,
06:38especially that Adivasiyat,
06:41they are Muslim, Hindu,
06:45then when they look at the Purwaj,
06:48the Purwaj were Adivasiyat,
06:513-4-3,
06:53are you Muslims or Adivasiyat?
06:56No, no, no.
06:58Most people are converted Muslims.
07:01In the community,
07:04more people are following Hindu religions.
07:07And 30% of them are following Muslims.
07:12It is important that my Pardada,
07:14the Pardada,
07:15who are not Muslim,
07:17they are converted to Islam.
07:20My house is Farbizganj.
07:24When you go to Farbizganj,
07:27you will tell us
07:29about our culture,
07:31which we have left our culture,
07:33which we have left our culture.
07:35My culture has been developed.
07:37It has been developed.
07:38The culture went and joined
07:39the mainstream of the society.
07:41If you look at my name,
07:43the king is the king.
07:44The king is the king.
07:46We were asked for this.
07:48Why did we put the king?
07:50The king was the king.
07:52If you say that my name is
07:53my name is Jara.
07:54Then,
07:55I will have a small eye.
07:57My name is the king.
07:58My name is Jara.
07:59But as we say,
08:01my name is Jara.
08:02It is a different view.
08:04It is a different view.
08:05Just the view of that view.
08:07The view of that view.
08:08That was the view of that.
08:09My name is a generalist.
08:11My name is Jara.
08:12I will tell you,
08:13I have a name,
08:14one is the name,
08:15one is the name,
08:16the name is the king and the name is the lion.
08:18And,
08:19I am the name and the name is the queen.
08:20I am the name of the moon.
08:21And,
08:22I feel like I am feeling it.
08:23I am feeling it.
08:24I feel like I am feeling it.
08:25I feel like that.
08:26So,
08:28I am here going to discuss it.
08:29What kind of view is that that?
08:30We have written a book on this one.
08:35The book's name is Khana Wadoush Kahani Sengharzki.
08:38We were in 19 years.
08:40At that time, the Bihar's minister is Mania Nittis Kumar Ji,
08:43they did this book on this one.
08:45It was on this one.
08:48Okay, let's go.
08:50If you become a leader,
08:54you are also a Muslim.
08:57So, what kind of a leader will be your leader?
09:03Will it be Muslims or will it be Adivasi?
09:05Because you are in Adivasi streets.
09:07I want to know this.
09:09Look, this is not the same.
09:11The leaders are different from each other.
09:13It is different.
09:15It is discrimination of society.
09:17It is a societal state.
09:19But if the hospital is bad,
09:21there is also a leader of Adivasi and Muslims.
09:25If there is no school or college,
09:27there is no school or college,
09:29then they are not able to study Adivasi,
09:30Muslims.
09:31If there is no one,
09:32if there is no one,
09:33then Adivasi and Muslims.
09:35It is not the basic thing.
09:37We have to see the religion or the religion.
09:42This is true.
09:43It is true that our Adivasi community
09:45and our Muslim community
09:46has gone too far back.
09:47Whatever the relationship of the community
09:49will be able to build that community.
09:51The people who are sitting in front of you
09:53is a leader.
09:54If God has become a leader,
09:55Allah has wanted it,
09:56then it will happen.
09:57When I was interviewed for you,
10:00I was talking to some people.
10:02I was talking to some people about you.
10:03I have heard about you.
10:05You are from outside.
10:06You are from outside.
10:07You are from outside.
10:08You are from outside.
10:09You are from outside.
10:10This is the Manihari Vidhan Sabha.
10:12But one of those who say that
10:15one Muslim vote is more than 1,000,000 to 1,000,000,000.
10:18and the Apivasi vote is 70,000.
10:19And the Apivasi vote is 76,000.
10:2148,000.
10:2248,000.
10:23You are from outside.
10:24So you are only from outside.
10:26So you are from the Muslim vote.
10:27The Apivasi status in the Dept.
10:29The Apivasi state of U.S.
10:31is the last couple of years.
10:32In the United States altijd is not just in terms of what's happening.
10:34Because the Apivasi".
10:35What is the Apivasi country?
10:36They are the Acivasi.
10:37That are the Apivasi.
10:38요�ists.
10:39They belong to those.
10:41and in their culture, they also look at it.
10:43What happens is that when you talk about it,
10:45when you talk about it,
10:46it's called Himbram,
10:47there is also the Santhali Adivasi.
10:49Soren, Soren, Marandi,
10:51but it doesn't look like that in your name.
10:53Parshant Kishore,
10:55the people who have been soren or soren,
10:57they are also soren or soren.
10:59So, what do you say about it?
11:01What do you say about it?
11:03The other thing about it,
11:05which are the three times,
11:07they are also the Bhaagalpur.
11:09The other thing about it is a very interesting part.
11:11The people who have been retired,
11:13they gave them the ticket.
11:15The other thing about it is the Congress.
11:17They are the people who say it.
11:19People say it.
11:21It's a fun thing.
11:23It's a fun thing.
11:25It's the most important thing.
11:27Even now,
11:28the other thing,
11:29the other thing,
11:31the other thing,
11:32the other thing,
11:34I don't know.
11:35The other thing,
11:36the other thing,
11:37foreign
12:07I don't think this is a big problem.
12:14I don't think this is a big problem.
12:19That's why I don't think this is a perception.
12:24I don't think this is a perception.
12:27Are you talking about my mind?
12:29No.
12:30I don't think this is a perception.
12:35I don't think this is a perception.
12:37I don't think this is a perception.
12:39But when I talk about Adivasi,
12:41I'm talking about it in my mind.
12:42Continue.
12:43I think that we, the tribal people,
12:48want to see them in the jungle,
12:51without the clothes,
12:54without the pure speech.
12:57So, I think this is a perception.
13:01That's a great thing.
13:03One thing I'm seeing is a difference in my mind.
13:06Because I know many Muslims who were in the first place.
13:11But when I tell you about Adivasi,
13:16they should be able to read their title.
13:19I am watching you.
13:20I am watching this clearly.
13:21I am very sure about it.
13:22They are even taking a deal.
13:26Even in the title,
13:27you are bringing a law of status.
13:28Why aren't we bringing a law of status ?
13:30Why aren't we bringing a law of status?
13:31Because we are bringing a law of status?
13:32We are bringing a law of...
13:33We have a law.
13:34It's our law of status.
13:36We are bringing a law.
13:37If we are applying to the law of status,
13:40if we are getting a law,
13:41or not,
13:42we are getting the law.
13:44We are being brought to them.
13:45So, there is a lot of Muslim tribal history here, whether it's Shershavadi or Shershavadi,
13:52they also have tribal history, they also read their stories.
13:56We also say that in the 342 years, there is a status,
14:01that there is a status, that there is a status.
14:04So, the first thing is Shershavadi.
14:06Now, when I was meeting, you were saying that,
14:11we are going to give tribal history.
14:15But my question is,
14:17Shershavadi seems to be a Muslim in Bangladesh,
14:20and you are talking about the title of Adivasi,
14:23that means that the country is the most important ones.
14:30Now, I am going to understand this.
14:32If Shershavadi is a Bangladesh,
14:34if Shershavadi is a Muslim,
14:36if Shershavadi is a Muslim,
14:38it is a Muslim,
14:40in the past,
14:41it is a big deal in our lives.
14:43We cannot come forward to our own things.
14:46When the situation comes to Bihar,
14:49when the situation comes to the Bangladesh,
14:51when the situation comes to the Bangladesh,
14:52the situation comes to the border.
14:53This is the fear of the fear,
14:54the fear of the situation,
14:55which is the problem.
14:56In the future,
14:57it is not something that is happening.
14:58You are going to go to Sirli Gori.
15:00If you are going to the Sirli Gori,
15:02when you are going to Darjeeling,
15:03you are going to the Gorkha people.
15:04They are the people who are called Nepalis.
15:06So, do you not call it Indian?
15:07He is the people who are the Nepalis.
15:09If you think that,
15:10if you think,
15:11if you are talking about Bengal,
15:12you are talking about Bengali,
15:13then you say that.
15:14That is a narrative.
15:15This narrative is a metaphor.
15:17The narrative is a metaphor,
15:18that is the truth.
15:19It is a metaphor for all of Muslims.
15:20If you cannot say that,
15:22you can say something that is a Muslim.
15:23foreign
15:53It was only one of Pranapur's people who gave a ticket to Taukir.
15:59They gave a ticket to Taukir.
16:01They didn't want to vote.
16:03They just want to vote.
16:05They just want to vote.
16:07They don't want to vote.
16:09This is the Zila.
16:13It's the area of Santhal.
16:15It's the area of Bihar.
16:19When we go down,
16:23Christians,
16:25They also changed
16:27the
16:49Have you ever made it or have you ever made it?
16:51No, we are sure that we are aware of those things.
16:54But if you say that we have to make it,
16:57we do not make it. We do not make it.
16:59We do not make it, but we do not make it.
17:01Our religion is our religion.
17:04Our religion is our religion.
17:06Our religion is different in that religion.
17:08You will know that we have married in Sikhs.
17:12That's right.
17:14And because of this religion,
17:16we have to make it.
17:18That's why we have to make it.
17:20We have to make it.
17:22We have to make it.
17:24We have to make it.
17:26Because in our community,
17:29you cannot make it out of your religion.
17:32Now tell us.
17:34If you have to make it out of your children,
17:36we cannot eat their food,
17:38we cannot eat it.
17:40This is our culture.
17:42So it's okay.
17:44It's okay.
17:46It's the culture.
17:47It's the best.
17:48You know,
17:49in the beginning,
17:50you were in the MIM and Jansuraj
17:52were in the party
17:53that you would get tickets here.
17:55Yes.
17:56Why did you get tickets here?
17:58Why did you get tickets here?
17:59Why did you get tickets here?
18:00We were in Jansuraj
18:01in Jansuraj
18:02in 11 months.
18:03We had a lot of effort.
18:05We had a lot of effort.
18:06I believe in my heart.
18:08They have a vision.
18:09We have to make it.
18:10But we were still in the fight.
18:12But for me,
18:13what you're saying,
18:14you're a Muslim.
18:15You're a Muslim.
18:16You're a Muslim.
18:18You're a very friendly type.
18:19So it was,
18:20the other people who were
18:22who were the candidates.
18:23It was not the only one.
18:24We were only the one.
18:25We told them,
18:26especially those who were the ones.
18:27They told them,
18:28what you did.
18:29We heard from them.
18:31We heard from them.
18:32As the president of the administration
18:33said,
18:34that no matter what you are not.
18:35You deserve it.
18:36You want to go wherever you want.
18:37You have a ability.
18:38You will have to go anywhere.
18:39But that time,
18:40you will stop.
18:41So the people who were the five
18:43members of the administration,
18:45they were convinced of Udaya Singh,
18:46the leader of their administration.
18:47Because Rupoli and Dhamdhaan
18:49are a great assembly of the Purnihaya.
18:51There is a great crowd.
18:55They were,
18:56There is a threat to the Adivasi.
18:58They are five people.
19:00A Muslim tribal came and said,
19:02we will not give the Adivasi.
19:04We give five people.
19:06We have made the Adivasi.
19:08Adivasi is a narrative.
19:12It is a narrative.
19:14It is possible.
19:16Uday Singh Ji thought,
19:18we need to break it.
19:20We wanted to change it.
19:22We were made with Jan Suraj.
19:24You were first with Jan Suraj.
19:26After that,
19:28what happened is that,
19:30we didn't leave the road.
19:32We didn't get tickets.
19:34We didn't leave the road.
19:36We had made our relationship.
19:38People said,
19:40you will have to break it.
19:42You don't have any money.
19:44We will break it.
19:46We have to break it.
19:48There is also a Muslim.
19:50You will have to break it.
19:52You deserve it.
19:54We will be there.
19:56You will have to break it.
19:58You will have to break it.
20:00You will have to break it.
20:02We will not leave it.
20:04We will be there.
20:06We will get it.
20:08I don't know that because I'm a Muslim, I don't know that I'm a Muslim, I don't know that I'm a Muslim.
20:14It's a reason for Jansuraj.
20:18One more thing is that in Bihar, probably in the first time in Bihar, there was a Muslim in Adivasi.
20:26Besides, do you meet any of those?
20:30I'm in Lakshadeep, Sanseed, now tribal.
20:33The tribal name was Nirdaliyya, it was established in Congress.
20:38In Bihar, you are being held at the first time in Bihar.
20:41In Kashmir, there are 12 seats, where the tribal Muslims are held.
20:44After Kashmir and Lakshadeep, the incident is the first place in Bihar.
20:49When I was traveling with you, I saw that you are going to be Muslim, talking to them.
20:56Although I'm not with you, I'm not with you.
20:59You're with me 15-20 minutes.
21:01You're with me 15 minutes.
21:03Do you think you are going to vote for the first and later?
21:09Yes, yes.
21:10What's your reaction to your name?
21:12Do you have any objection to your name?
21:16No, there's no objection.
21:18No objection to people.
21:20People are happy.
21:21People take their hand and give their love.
21:23There's no objection to them.
21:25There's no objection to them.
21:26You're responding to them right?
21:28Yes, I'm responding to the Adivasi society.
21:30We're responding to the Adivasi society.
21:34There are many many prayers in our society.
21:36That's our goals.
21:37In the past, I have not been clear about which party you are looking for.
21:44I am taking a car, NCP.
21:47Because I am taking a car.
21:50NCP has also two cars, so I am going to get a little bit of a car.
21:53One is Ajit Power and one is Sarat Power.
21:56So, you are from which?
21:57Ajit Power.
21:58Okay, I understand this too.
22:01Now, I am doing a perception set.
22:05I am doing a perception set.
22:07That's how Ajit Power with Ajit Power.
22:10In the Maherastra, Ajit Power, the NDA,
22:13with the Saif Ali Khan, I mean the NDA.
22:15You understand that this is the case.
22:17NITIS Kumar Ji is going to go 36.
22:19The Bihar's back in the Bihar.
22:21The 36.
22:23The Bihar's back in the Bihar,
22:24the Bihar's back,
22:26the Bihar's back in the Bihar.
22:28Once you start competing with Congress,
22:30then you start competing with Bihar.
22:32Even if you are the maha gharabandan,
22:33they are under 12 seats and they are not going to be a second.
22:36So, brother, this perception is not going to work.
22:38We will win, and inshallah we will win.
22:41We will win, then we will support secular forces.
22:44This kind of perception will not go.
22:47This is also something that you have a feeling,
22:49that you are the BHAJPPA team,
22:51Ajitowar group.
22:53It's a feeling.
22:54So this was Saif Ali Khan,
22:56who asked him to answer all questions.
23:02You
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