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PM Modi’s Pasmanda outreach a step forward, say backward class Muslim leaders
Peace Party chief Mohammad Ayub said if the BJP is serious about the political, social and educational empowerment of Pasmanda Muslims, then the PM’s appeal should be followed by some concrete actions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pro-Pasmanda pitch seems to have triggered a churning in certain sections of the backward Muslim community’s political leadership less than a year before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The Peace Party, which had been an emerging phenomenon in several pockets of eastern Uttar Pradesh about a decade back, has welcomed the PM’s outreach.
The Peace Party had caught attention for its fairly successful intervention among the backward Muslims and won four seats in the 2012 assembly elections.
Peace Party chief Mohammad Ayub said if the BJP is serious about the political, social and educational empowerment of Pasmanda Muslims, then the PM’s appeal should be followed by some concrete actions, including an invite to the Pasmanda leadership for further discussions.
He said the Kalelkar Commission, Rangnath Mishra Commission and Sachar Committee in their reports had highlighted the social and economic backwardness of the Pasmanda Muslims. They had recommended reservation for Dalit Muslims. Along with implementing these reports, the BJP government should give political representation to the Muslims, he said.
The Peace Party enjoys influence among the weavers’ community settled in East UP.
Prime Minister had said backward Muslims had been left marginalised by those who do vote-bank politics.
“A section of their own religion has exploited Pasmanda Muslims, something that hasn’t been discussed in the country. Several generations have had to suffer. But the BJP works in the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas,’” Modi had said in Bhopal on Tuesday.
Like the Peace Party, All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaj has termed PM’s reach-out as a step forward in the right direction.
Its state president Wasim Raini said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first PM who has spoken about problems faced by the Pasmanda Muslims and expressed a commitment to their welfare from a public platform. The Congress, Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party got the community’s votes but failed to give a share in political power. The Pasmanda community is looking with hope towards the BJP.”
The Pasmanda Muslims constitute 85% of the Muslim population in the state. The BJP claims that these backward Muslim communities have also been the biggest beneficiaries of the government’s various welfare schemes.
The party had also fielded a significant number of Pasmanda community members in the recently concluded urban local bodies election. Out of the 391 Muslim candidates fielded by the BJP 61 won in the local bodies’ election.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Ulama Council spokesperson Talha Rashidi said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to bringing the Pasmanda Muslims into the national mainstream, the words should be reciprocated by the deeds.
Allaying the fears, Uttar Pradesh minority welfare minister Danish Azad Ansari said the victory of BJP candidates in the Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha by-polls as well as alliance partner Apna Dal (S) winning the Suar assembly seat indicates the Pasmanda Muslims are supporting the BJP.
BJP Minority Cell president Basit Ali said the state government’s schemes have benefitted 4.5 crore Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. The Pasmanda votes are decisive in at least 20 Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh, he said.
Hitting out at the BJP, senior SP leader Rajendra Chaudhary said the BJP is raising the issue of Pasmanda Muslims to mislead the community and create confusion before the polls.
Bahujan Samaj Party leader Akhilesh Ambedkar said the Muslims know which party is actually committed to safeguarding their interests.
