With voters as young as 16, expectations for a majority yes vote in the coming September 18th referendum have moved to a likely no, with many changing their mind in the final days, choosing to preserve a four-century-old union with the United Kingdom.
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“I have waived from a strict No to being convinced to a Yes, and then going back to No. I am going to finally stay at No,” Sobia Bhatti, a Muslim dentist based in Glasgow, told OnIslam.net.
“I just feel the risks far outweigh the benefits. Yes Scotland is a rich country, the 14th richest, however it is going to take billions of pounds to develop all these industries: gas, oil, tourism, whiskey, finance sector etc,” she added.
A referendum on whether Scotland should be an independent country will take place on Thursday 18 September 2014.
The fate of the English and Scottish Union, which dates back to the year 1603, rests in the hands of a simple majority vote, where a single vote amongst the 4 million registered voters, can tip the balance towards separation.
Reflecting the division among Scotland’s Asian and Muslim communities on independence, a last February poll by Awaz FM, a prominent Asian radio station, has found that 64% of listeners would vote “yes”. Meanwhile, other 32% of voters were against independence from Britain.
For yes voters, independence promised better chances of prosperity for the upcoming generations. However, the high percentage of acceptance among Scottish Muslims has changed over the past months, citing privileges provided to them as part of the British Kingdom.
“I don't see how and where Scotland will find all these extra billions of pounds. Does it mean we will have to lose our free NHS, free prescriptions, free education?” Bhatti exclaimed.
“Will we have higher food prices, higher mortgages etc. What happens to our pensions? And also just the general hassle of border control. We will need separate passports. It's just making the divide bigger.
“I travel up and down the country regularly, as do my family, and border control is just going to make it even more difficult to do this,” the Muslim dentist added.
Not far from “No” voters, some Scottish Muslims preferred a “Yes” vote, citing the relative silence by Westminster with regards to the recent Israeli war on Gaza.
“My nephew who is 16 years of age seems to have been swayed to Yes, and this is mainly because of Westminster’s (UK Parliament’s) Foreign policy regarding Palestine,” Bhatti said.
For many, Bhatti said, this reason alone may be sufficient to sway significant parts of the vote.
Elsewhere, Imran Kausar, doctor and co-founder of the Halaal Food Festival, who though born in Scotland but now resides in the south of England so does not get a vote, said, “Sadly, I don't get a vote as I've moved out of Scotland, but if I were to vote it would be No.”
“The reasons are that Scotland is a country with net emigration, a growing elderly population and a declining reserve of fuel. The opportunities most young Scots have are due to the benefits of the union.”
Dr Kauser continued that his family will be voting no, though many of his friends preferred yes, with Palestine emerging again to affect the vote.
“My family will be voting no, but many other friends I know are voting yes,” he told OnIslam.net.
“Lack of trust with the English establishment and Scots support of Palestine (also fighting for return of their land) have engaged many Muslims towards the yes campaign.”
Scotland has about 75,000 Muslims. About 40% of them live in Glasgow. Muslims are the second largest religious group in the country, which has thirty mosques.
And while the 2011 census placed the Muslim population of Scotland to comprise just 1.4%, the general Scottish position towards a two-state solution in Palestine tends to be considerably more vocal – publically- than Westminster’s.
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show, Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party, said “My view is that this is a once in a generation opportunity for Scotland, perhaps even a once in a lifetime opportunity for Scotland.”
Though urging voters to reject independent, British Prime Minister David Cameron remarked, “And we must be very clear. There’s no going back from this. No re-run. This is a once-and-for-all decision. If Scotland votes Yes, the UK will split, and we will go our separate ways forever.”
Even the Queen broke her silence advising Scotland to think “very carefully about the future.”
