00:18Kolkata, the city of joy.
00:26The city of layered identities, a cosmopolitan city, a city that embraced and grew with people
00:37from all corners and colors.
00:51Temples, churches, mosques, they are all woven in this city's fabric.
01:01Together for last three centuries, they have made a tilottama, a composite beauty of many
01:08cases.
01:12She will decide her fate in the ballot on the 29th April.
01:18Kolkata turns everything into a celebration, a pujo.
01:22This election too is a celebration of democracy.
01:28Written on its walls, flying around its posts, walking through its lanes and bilanes.
01:38Boat pujo in Kolkata has got its focus on the other significant color that makes it vibrant.
01:45It's not the dominant color, yet the significant one.
01:51It's green, it's omnipresent, it's complementary.
01:55It's woven into Kolkata's ethos and democracy.
02:03From the narrow lanes of Mithi Abruz to the bustling intersections of Paksakas, the imprint
02:10of the Muslim community is unmistakable.
02:15Kolkata is a city of multi-layered identities and histories.
02:21And the Muslim population form a significant lot in this entire fabric, adding to almost
02:2820% of its residents.
02:31As we stand right in front of the Nakhuda Mosque, we'll try and find out what is the voter sentiment
02:39in the Muslim community from the Park Circus to the hustle and bustle of Mithi Abruz.
02:47What are the voters essentially thinking that actually add up to the social, economic, political
02:53and also the cultural fabric of the city?
02:57Let's try and find out.
03:03In central Kolkata, at the bustling business hub running along the Robindra Shoruni stands
03:08the iconic Nakhuda Mosque.
03:15Construction of this mosque started in 1926 and was finished in 1935.
03:23It stands tall as the symbol of Kachi Memmons who came from Gujarat to this city in the
03:3119th century to trade.
03:32But they never went back.
03:34Together with others, they became Kolkata's M Factor.
03:40A candid conversation with the community reveals a consistent thread.
03:44For many, this election is not just about promises but about the overall environment they
03:50live in.
03:52The influence of the Muslims in Kolkata is layered with its special zaika.
03:57Mughlai is Kolkata's favourite cuisine and it came to the city with the descendants of
04:02the Nawab of Awad.
04:04Wajid Ali Shah in 1856.
04:33Mughlai Shah in 1856.
04:36There are many people here who are wearing their clothes.
04:39Today, there has been such a big industry in Madhya Brugge
04:43that Asia is the largest market for the unbranded governments.
04:48There are thousands and thousands of people there.
04:50There are thousands of people there.
04:52There are thousands of people there.
05:07Actually, amidst all the delicacies like elish patoori, aloo poshto, roshu gullo, chigri malai curry,
05:16there is a space for the Kolkata biryani as well.
05:20It's time for Dasnarkhan.
05:22So, let's go.
05:26Kolkata biryani is distinct with the potato in it.
05:30The avdi dish got a facelift with a common man's vegetable,
05:34making Kolkata biryani unique in its tastes and flavours.
05:49In this story, there was a scarcity of meat, apparently.
05:54And then the Khansamas introduced the aloo.
05:59And they perfected it to such an extent,
06:02the effort was so much given in the potato,
06:06that it turned out to be equally as tasty,
06:11as delicious with kick in it as the meat.
06:18And in Kolkata, especially biryani, you will not find without the potato.
06:24Anyone selling it. Not only us, but anyone else.
06:29The food, the language, the music, the poetry of Kolkata got enriched
06:33with the presence of this Nawabi influence from its Renaissance days.
06:38Do you really practice the traditional way in terms of the biryani?
06:43Because there were, I believe, earthen potware
06:45and cooked very differently during the olden times?
06:49Yes, we still follow.
06:51Yes, we still follow.
06:51Our biryani and the chicken chap,
06:53which is made in tambe ke bartan,
06:55in handi, in tambe ke bartan.
07:00The only thing that we have replaced
07:02is our kitchens,
07:04the new kitchens,
07:05the new projects which we have,
07:07it's all gas.
07:08But our purana restaurant,
07:10which was opened in 1947,
07:12it still runs on coal fire.
07:14That means, around 80% of the kitchen.
07:17That's the time too?
07:19Yes, the time too.
07:20It's a kitchen,
07:21so we kept that unchanged
07:23to keep the authenticity.
07:26But the rest is what we have changed.
07:28It's just the cooking medium,
07:30that is the gas.
07:32Today, the Mughlai food has made its magnanimous way
07:35into every celebratory menu in the city,
07:38and it's not limited to any community.
07:41Amidst all that very exotic menu,
07:45from the Sandesh,
07:46to the Machi Bhat,
07:49to the variety of mustard fish,
07:51and all that,
07:51I've eaten biryani or kawab.
07:57Yes, absolutely.
07:58It's an integral part of the food diversity of Calcutta.
08:04So, the traditional Bengali dishes,
08:08like the posto aloo,
08:09the elish, paturi,
08:11the luchi aloo,
08:12and the Mughlai food, the biryani,
08:15the Kolkata aloo ali biryani,
08:17takes an important part
08:18in the whole cuisine of Kolkata.
08:23This election,
08:25when politics tries to polarize the voters
08:28on Machi Bhat,
08:29people of this community want to focus on issues
08:32and promises not kept.
08:59Muslim women in Kolkata is a strong voice,
09:03standing by the government.
09:03by the only woman chief minister of the state.
09:07They are the ones who are living in the night.
09:10They are the ones who are living in the night,
09:11because we understand that
09:12the people of the West Bengal
09:13will not get any freedom,
09:14any other cities will not get any freedom.
09:19Manta didi hai, Manta hi didi rehingi, or koi nai aengi.
09:26Amalokha lakhi bhandar hai, rupa siri hai, sab meela.
09:29Jitna didi boli, amalokha sab di hai.
09:32Or, bhoot amalokha sukoon se hai.
09:34Ar, mamata didi aache, mamata didi thak be hai.
09:38Ar, amara chai, jai, mamata ke chada, amara kao ke ghor dho bona.
09:42Amara mamata ke hi dho bho, ar amadar ka mamata didi chai.
09:47Data from previous elections underlines the community's political significance.
09:54In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, 42 Muslim MLA's were elected, 41 of them from the Trinamul Congress.
10:06In 2026, the TMC has fielded 46 Muslim candidates.
10:11The BJP, on the other hand, has not fielded any Muslim candidate.
10:18Since partition, Muslims have grown in a sizable proportion in the city.
10:22From 3,74,126 in 1961, which is 12.8% Muslim population of Kolkata in 2011 census, stood at
10:359,26,440.
10:38A whopping 20.6% of the total population, 44,96,694.
10:48There are 11 constituencies in Kolkata district.
10:52TMC has dominated all 11 of them in past two assembly election.
10:56Out of these 11, 8 constituencies are dominated by Muslim voters.
11:04Kolkata port has 50% Muslim voter.
11:07Battleground Bhawanipur has more than 20% Muslim vote.
11:11Balaganj has more than 50% Muslim vote.
11:14Chaurangi accounts for nearly 38% Muslim vote.
11:18Entali comes close with nearly 37% Muslims.
11:22Belegata has more than 25%,
11:25while Shampukur has 19.20% Muslim voters.
11:30Finally, Muslims in Kashyapur, Belgachya stand at 17.30% of the total voter list.
11:39This election, the M factor has a considerable vote,
11:43and they want to course-correct the political narrative.
11:47They will make their rights to the population.
11:48They will work in Kolkata and these will be sexualized.
11:56They will also be legal and they will remain responsible.
12:21So one thing is apparent in this entire report
12:27that the Muslim community is extremely aware and alert
12:32and do realize that this battle, especially because of the SIR,
12:38is a battle for their survival and existence.
12:42And come what may, they will surely make their vote count
12:47and vote in large numbers.
12:50This bowl season, the Lotus hopes to win them over with the promises
12:55that a national party government can deliver.
12:59In 15 years, they changed the knowledge of Kolkata.
13:06I will tell you about Kolkata.
13:10I will tell you about Kolkata.
13:12I will tell you about Kolkata.
13:16I will tell you about Kolkata to make Kolkata.
13:17I will tell you about Kolkata.
13:32I will tell you about Kolkata.
13:40बीजेपी के सेवा काल में किसी भी भारतिय नागरी चाहे वो किसी भी मत मजभगा हो उनको कोई परिशानी नहीं
13:52होगी लेकिन गुस पेठियों को छोड़ा नहीं जाएगा
14:00हमारे लिए तो पुरा बंगाली टप था तीनी सीट थी हमारी हमने ऐसे कई राज्य है जहां सिधी सरकारे बनाई
14:08आसाम त्रिपुरा मनिपूर फेर सारे राज्य है और यह कोई नई बात नहीं है भारतिय जनता पर अभी तो हम
14:1977 सिटों की पीट पर बैठे हैं कि यहां से सरका
14:24बनाना बहुत सरल है और सरकारे बारतिय जनता पाटी नहीं बनाती है सरकारे देश की जनता बनाती है बंगाल की
14:33जनता बनाती है हमने पूरे प्रचार में उच्छा देखा है इस वार भाजपा की सरकार बना सुनिस चित है
14:40For Muslims in Kolkata this is an election to settle their identity as integral part of the city. For them
14:48this election is not just about political choices, it is about
14:51safeguarding a sense of security and belonging. And in a closely contested electoral battle, their vote could well shape the
15:01final outcome.
15:03With Moshami Singh, Bureau Report, India Today.
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