DNA Explainer: BJP holds 'first ever' meeting with Pasmanda Muslims in UP; know who they are and what are their demands

The BJP is holding a meeting today with key members of the Pasmanda Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow today. The party claims it is the first such meeting held by a political party with the Pasmandas. 

The party’s minority wing is hosting its first-ever convention for the community as part of its Muslim outreach ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It also comes three months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the party to reach out to “the deprived and downtrodden” sections among all the communities at the BJP National Executive in Hyderabad, seen as an outreach to the Pasmanda (backward class) Muslims.

UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak is the chief guest at the meeting, called the ‘Pasmanda Buddhijeevi Sammelan’, which will aso be attended Danish Azad, a Minister of State in the UP government. He is the only Muslim minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led government and also a Pasmanda. 

Among those to be honoured at the meeting will be the newly nominated Rajya Sabha MP from Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Ali Khatana, a BJP leader from the Gujjar Muslim community. An under-represented group settled in some of the most inhospitable areas of J&K, it also has a significant population in western UP and in Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituencies in central UP.

“The BJP will address the intellectuals on how over 4.5 crore people from the community have benefited under various government schemes rolled out by the Modi-led Union government and the Yogi Adityanath government in the state. This event will be a major platform for dialogue with the community,” Kunwar Basit Ali, the state president of the UP BJP minority wing, said. 

According to Ali, over 3 crore Pasmanda Muslims in UP have received free rations, more than 1.25 lakh have got benefits of the Ayushman health card, 75 lakh have benefitted from PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, over 40 lakh have got free electricity connections, 20 lakh have got houses, etc.

Sunday’s meeting is said to focus on the PM’s “vision”. Community leaders will also be asked to share the problems faced by their people, despite the schemes.

Who are Pasmanda Muslims?

Muslims in India are broadly classified into three categories -- Ashraf, the “noble” or “honourable” ones; Aljaf, backward Muslims; and Arzal, Dalit Muslims. While Ashraf are considered the traditionally dominant group comprising the Syed, Mughal, Pathan clans, Ajalf and Arzal are collectively known as Pasmanda – a Persian word for “ones left behind.” 

Pasmanda is a term for OBC Muslims comprising economically and socially backward members of the community. Pasmanda leaders and rights activists claim that there is around 85 per cent backward or Pasmanda Muslim population across the country. 

What are their demands?

The Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order, 1950, had restricted SC status to Hindus, keeping Dalits from other religions out of its ambit. The order was later amended (in 1956 and 1990) to include Sikhs and Buddhists.

The implementation of the report of the Mandal Commission brought the non-Ashrafs — Ajlafs and Arzals — under the OBC category.

The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, known as the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission, which submitted its report in May 2007, acknowledged that the caste system impacted all religious communities in India, including Muslims.

“Pasmandas include Dalits as of now, but all Pasmandas are not Dalits. Constitutionally speaking, we are all in one category — the OBCs. But going forward, we want Dalit Muslims to be recognised separately,” Ali Anwar Ansari, a former Rajya Sabha MP and national president and founder of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, was quoted by The Indian Express as saying. 

Pasmandas are also opposed to the demand for giving religion-based reservation to the entire Muslim population, arguing that it ignores unequal access to state resources within the community.

Pasmanda Muslims have been demanding reservation of Dalit Muslims as per section 341 of the constitution, implementation of the Karphuri Thakur formula like Bihar to avoid fear of religious conversion, and employment opportunities under the MSME section.