Abdullah Mansoor-
The BJP is actively working to include marginalized Pasmanda Muslims in its outreach efforts, aiming to address their specific needs and concerns. Historically criticized for lacking Muslim representation, Refusing to give tickets to Muslims by the BJP, conducting aggressive Hindutva-based political campaigns in the name of nationalism, and BJP’s strategic silence on communal issues like mob lynching,bulldozers justice are issues that portray BJP as anti-Muslim. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
The party is now making strategic moves to engage with this demographic, following earlier initiatives targeting Dalits and Adivasis. In a significant step, the BJP organized the ‘Pasmanda Buddhijeevi Sammelan’ in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, where prominent leaders participated, signaling a shift towards inclusivity.
This shift is part of a broader strategy to diversify the party’s support base and bridge the gap left by previous political neglect of Pasmanda Muslim communities.Recent changes in Muslim voting patterns, including a notable shift towards the BJP, reflect the effectiveness of these efforts in addressing social and economic concerns among Pasmanda Muslims. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
Acknowledging Historical Oppression
The social stratification of Indian Muslims delineates them into three main groups: the ‘Ashraf’ comprising approximately 15% of the population, identified as upper castes; the ‘Ajlaf,’ denoting lower caste converts; and the ‘Arzal,’ representing the untouchables.
The marginalized ‘Pasmandas’ encapsulate socially, economically, and educationally disadvantaged individuals from both ‘Ajlaf’ and ‘Arzal’ backgrounds, with the latter subgroup integrating Dalit and backward-caste Muslims.The term “Pasmanda” refers to those who have lagged behind, signifying marginalized and oppressed communities within Indian Muslim society, stemming from lower castes and economically disadvantaged groups.
The Pasmanda movement emerged in response to discrimination faced by Muslims from lower castes, post the Mandal Commission movement in the 1990s. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
During national executive meetings in Delhi and Hyderabad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the BJP to reach out to the fringes of minority communities. Speaking to booth-level workers in Bhopal, he acknowledged the historical oppression faced by a section of Muslims within his own religion, emphasizing the need for discussions on this issue.
During national executive meetings, PM Narendra Modi addresses historical oppression within his religion, emphasizing the need for discussions on discrimination faced by Pasmamda communities.PM Modi highlighted the discrimination against various Pasmamda communities like Mochi, Bhathiara, Jogi, Madari, Julaha, Lohar, Tejaa, Laheri, Haldar, stating that these communities have faced unjust biases that generations have endured.
The BJP, under Prime Minister Modi, became the first national party to address social justice within the Muslim community.BJP President JP Nadda initiated extensive outreach programs in Uttar Pradesh, focusing on honoring and providing affection to Pasmanda Muslims. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
This approach resonates with the community, as about 80% of BJP candidates in local elections come from marginalized Muslim backgrounds. In the 2023 Uttar Pradesh urban local body elections, 395 Muslim candidates were fielded by the BJP, indicating a shift in their engagement with Pasmanda Muslims.
This shift reflects BJP’s commitment to addressing social and economic challenges faced by this subgroup, contrasting with traditional perspectives of other political parties.
Pasmanda Voting Trends: Assessing 2024 Lok Sabha
The trend of using religious and emotional appeals to win votes has marginalized Pasmanda Muslims. Their livelihood and representation issues are sidelined in mainstream discourse, overshadowed by secular-communal debates.
Additionally, Ashraf leadership dominance perpetuates the narrative of equality within the Muslim community, ignoring the specific challenges faced by Pasmanda Muslims. To address this, political strategies must move beyond rhetoric and focus on substantive policies for equitable representation and upliftment of marginalized communities.
Questions are being raised about the representation of Pasmanda Muslims in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. As per one analysis, of the 7,500 elected representatives from the first to the fourteenth Lok Sabha, 400 were Muslims — of which 340 were from Ashraf (upper caste) community. Only 60 Muslims from the Pasmanda background have been elected in fourteen Lok Sabhas. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
As per 2011 Census, Muslims constitute about 14.2 per cent of India’s population. This means that Ashrafs would have a 2.1 per cent share in the country’s population. But their representation in the Lok Sabha was around 4.5 per cent.
On the other hand, Pasmandas’ share in the population was around 11.4 per cent and still they had a mere 0.8 per cent representation in Parliament.(KHALID ANIS ANSARI, India’s Muslim community under a churn: 85% backward Pasmandas up against 15% Ashrafs, The Print, 13 May, 2019)
Muslim politics is identity politics that centers around religion, while Pasmanda movements focus on livelihood, representation, and social justice. When Muslims engage in movements focused solely on social justice, it is considered that they have completely set aside their Muslim identity.
It is essential to understand that Muslims are not a homogeneous community, and Muslim voting is not solely based on religious issues, nor do Muslims only vote for Muslims. In past elections, Pasmanda Muslims voted for all political parties, including the BJP. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
However, at the national level, non-BJP parties and regional coalitions became the first choice of Muslim voters. Still, in some major states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, the BJP’s vote among Muslims increased significantly.This proves that the Muslim vote, especially Pasmanda votes, is not a vote bank for any one party.
This is the reason why PM Modi’s emphasis on governance and acknowledgment of the backwardness among Pasmanda Muslims highlights BJP’s commitment to addressing social and economic challenges.
The party’s inclusive approach, as demonstrated through PM Modi’s “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas” model, portrays BJP as capable of benefiting marginalized Muslims through welfare schemes.
Key appointments of Pasmanda Muslims to positions such as ministers in the Alpasankhyak Kalyan and Wakf departments, the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Alpasankhyak Commission, and others, indicate a genuine effort to address Pasmanda concerns. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
The BJP’s engagement with Pasmanda Muslims reflects a shifting landscape in Indian Muslim politics, emphasizing socio-economic concerns alongside religious identity. This nuanced approach acknowledges the diversity within the Muslim community, signaling a departure from traditional religious-centric politics.
However, the BJP’s outreach efforts may unsettle other parties like the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samajwadi Party, potentially affecting their long-term electoral prospects. Some interesting figures might surprise you. ‘Looking ahead to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the mapping of Muslim voting behavior indicates a significant shift.
state elections in Uttar Pradesh in 2012, a small percentage of Muslim voters reported that they voted for the BJP candidate. By 2017,12.6% of general Muslims and 8% of Pasmanda Muslims reported supporting the BJP.
Interestingly, by the 2022 state elections, BJP support among general Muslims fell to 9.8%, while support among Pasmanda Muslims increased to 9.1%. While vote choice in state elections does not automatically translate to behaviour in national elections, the BJP’s recent inroads with the Pasmanda community — along with targeted 2024 election outreach — suggests that increased Pasmanda support for the BJP is possible’. (FEYAAD ALLIE, Mapping Muslim voting behaviour, HT, 12/02/2024)
The Pasmanda counterdiscourse presents a new viewpoint, challenging conventional Muslim-minority narratives regarding identity, security, and equity. It questions the notion of a unified Muslim identity and equal Islamic spaces, shedding light on elite collaboration in promoting communal ideologies and the disproportionate violence faced by Pasmanda Muslims. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
Critically, it addresses the call for separate quotas and exposes the marginalization of Pasmanda Muslims in employment and politics. This discourse portrays Pasmanda Muslims as a unique political force aiming to surpass traditional divisions and promote an inclusive, subversive majority.
The BJP’s approach to engaging with Pasmanda Muslims needs to find a balance between embracing new ideas and sticking to their core beliefs. It’s important to make sure Pasmanda Muslim communities are safe, especially since they often feel vulnerable under Hindu nationalism.
Tackling inequalities within different societal groups is key to upholding constitutional rights and moving the nation forward together. While the BJP’s efforts to connect with Pasmanda Muslims offer a chance for dialogue and inclusion, real representation and acceptance remain ongoing challenges. (Pasmanda Dynamics Shifting Paradigm)
The potential impact on other political parties highlights the need for balance in Indian politics. If the BJP can assure strong protection and representation for Pasmanda Muslims, it could change the dynamics of Indian Muslim politics.
If the Modi government includes Pasmanda Muslims in the Prevention of Atrocities Act, it could bring an end to the politics of secular parties that seek their votes in the name of security. The BJP government should carefully consider this issue as they navigate the complexities of Indian politics.
(Writer is a Pasmanda activist. He is also the consultant editor of Indus News TV and manage a YouTube channel named PASMANDA DEMOcracy, These are his personal views)
