West Bengal Polls: Which way will Muslim votes go?
S M Reza Ali Khan, a direct descendent of Mir Jafar, the first Nawab of West Bengal Elections with the support of East India Company, is a bitter man these days. Not only is he tired of battling the perception of the descendent of a 'traitor', he is not happy with the way political parties have approached the minority issue thus far. Mir Jafar is known to have betrayed his boss Siraj Ud Daulah at the battle of Plassey against the East India Company. The battle is considered to be a key moment in the establishment of the British Empire in the country. Sitting in his modest house located near the famous Hazaar Dwari palace in Murshidabad, Reza Khan says: "While all parties want a share of Muslim votes, not one of them is interested in doing something for the development of the community. The most neglected area is female education among Muslims." While not everyone shares Reza Khan's bitterness, there is a section in the Muslim community in West Bengal t...