Why BJP wants to reach out to Pasmanda Muslims | Decoded
As the BJP prepares for various state elections and 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the party wants to bring the Pasmanda community into its fold to dent the Opposition's chances of consolidating minority votes.
Himanshu Mishra
New Delhi
July 12, 2022UPDATED: July 12, 2022 03:22 IST
Representational Image.
In the recently concluded BJP's national executive in Hyderabad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the party workers to reach out to the deprived and downtrodden sections among the minority communities, such as Pasmanda Muslims.
According to sources, in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election and Lok Sabha by-elections to Muslim-majority areas of Rampur and Azamgarh, Pasmanda Muslims played a crucial role in ensuring the BJP's victory by voting for it in substantial numbers.
As the BJP prepares for various state elections and 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the PM's message suggests that the party wants to bring the Pasmanda community into its fold to dent the Opposition's chances of consolidating minority votes.
WHO ARE PASMANDA MUSLIMS?
The word Pasmanda is derived from Persian and it means "left behind". According to the leaders of the Pasmanda Muslims, the community constitutes 85 per cent of the total Muslims in the country.
Even as they are in the majority, the Pasmanda Muslims community is socially and economically backward. The community includes Dalit (Arzals) and backward Muslim (Ajlafs) population. The rest, 15 per cent Muslims are considered upper class or Ashrafs.
The castes within Pasmanda Muslims are generally decided by their profession. Among the Pasmandas are Malik (Teli), Momin Ansar (weavers), Qureshi (butchers), Mansoori (those who make quilts and mattresses), Idrisi (tailors), Saifi (iron smith), Salmani (barbers) and Hawari (washermen).
BJP's BID TO WOO PASMANDA MUSLIMS
Pasmanda Muslims have claimed historical discrimination meted out against them by upper class Muslims or Ashrafs. The possible reason behind PM Modi’s appeal to reach out to Pasmanda Muslims could be that they are economically weaker than upper-class Muslims. Despite their different professions, the economic condition of Pasmanda Muslims remains more or less the same.
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Making its reach evident among Pasmanda Muslims, the BJP has offered the ministerial post to Danish Ansari, who belongs to the community, instead of Mohsin Raza in the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet.
Moreover, sources say that the BJP MPs and MLAs would take out ‘Sneh Yatra’ (affection march) to communicate and inform the Pasmanda community about the Centre’s welfare schemes for the poor.
BP Mandal’s reservation report, Rangnath Mishra’s schedule caste report, and Rajinder Sachar’s report on the Muslim community suggest improvising the reservation status, economic and educational standing of the Muslim community. Based on the Mandal commission report, 27 per cent reservation was started for the OBCs. Out of this, 79 castes were from Muslim community -- nearly all belonging to the Pasmanda community.
The BJP strategists believe that the welfare schemes of the Modi government such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Suraksha Yojana, etc., will be most effective in connecting the Pasmanda community with the party.
The BJP also looks to communicate with the community to clear the misconception regarding the party and push forward PM Modi's "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, aur Sabka Vishwas" tagline.
LESSONS FROM THE PAST
In 2010, the NDA government led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar was formed with a majority of more than two-thirds. Nitish Kumar's poll planks of good governance and strengthening law and order by eliminating the mafia were among the many reasons that led to their victory.
Not only this, Nitish Kumar had also played the caste equations very well, which led to Pasmanda Muslims voting for the NDA rather than the RJD and LJP.
If sources are to be believed, many NDA allies like JDU, AIADMK, Apna Dal, Nishad Party, JJP, Rashtriya LJP, BPF, AGP, IPFT will implement their master plan through other smaller allies to connect the Pasmanda Muslim community. This means that in the elections, these parties will give Pasmanda community leaders tickets in Muslim majority seats on their symbols.
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