The All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz (AIPMM), an organisation working for backward Muslims, released a report based on the Bihar caste survey on Tuesday, while demanding that the Centre bring in a stringent law against mob lynching and check “bulldozer culture” against the accused in a crime, claiming that almost all the victims of both such excesses belong to the Pasmanda community. The report, which was released in Delhi, also seeks reservation for Pasmanda Muslims in private sectors, given their poor socio-economic conditions. While the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been wooing Pasmanda Muslims in a strategic move, given that the larger Muslim community remains alienated with the party, the AIPMM report is equally critical of both the party and AIMIM. "We consider the politics of the RSS, BJP and AIMIM to be complementary to each other,” says the report. The AIPMM report 'Bihar Caste Survey 2022-2023 and Pasmanda Agenda' says: “Ninety-five per cent of the victims of mob lynching and excesses by government bulldozers belong to the Pasmanda community. Our demand is that a strict law be made against this. The Collector and SP of the district where such an incident occurs should be made accountable for it. In such incidents, compensation should be given to the family of the deceased and a government job should be given to a person from that family.” The report also sets an agenda for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including a demand for "reservation in private sectors". Criticising the BJP and AIMIM, the report says “our ancestors” had protested in the thousands against both Mohammad Ali Jinnah's push for two States and V D Savarkar's Hindu Rashtra vision. “The Pasmanda Mahaz has been working with the same spirit for the last 25 years,” the report says. Referring to the Bihar caste survey, the report says: "Only 0.34 per cent of Pasmanda (EBC plus OBC) Muslims have ITI / similar diplomas and only 0.13 per cent of them have bachelor of engineering degrees. Only 2.55 per cent of them are Arts / Science/ Commerce graduates, and only 0.03 per cent Pasmanda Muslims have chartered accountant and Ph.D degrees.” It says that even in terms of how many have possessions such as computers, laptops or vehicles, the Pasmanda Muslims lag far behind. "About 99.10 per cent of Pasmanda Muslims have no computers or laptops and only 0.62 per cent Muslims use the Internet. About 96.47 Padmanda Muslims do not possess any kind of vehicles. Only 3.10 per cent of them have two-wheelers.” The report further says: "While only 0.30 per cent OBC and EBC Muslims are taking education in other states, only 1.30 per cent are working outside the state. About 30.3 per cent Pasmanda Muslims have less than Rs 6,000 monthly income. About 55 per cent of them live in either tiled or tin-roof houses.” On the Centre's policies, the AIPMM report asks why it is stalling a caste census at the national level. It demands that the SC quota be extended to Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians, and that many tribes like Mewati, Bangurjar, Madari, Sapera get ST status. Of the 38 sub-groups identified among Muslims, 28 classify as EBCs in Bihar, forming 10.57% of the state population. Some prominent EBC groups include Idrisi, Itfarosh, Kasab, Kulhaiya, Chik, Chudihar, Thakurai, Dafali, Dhuniya, Pamaria, Bakkho, Madari, Mukeri, Meriyasin, Halalkhor and Julaha/ Ansari. There are seven OBC Muslim groups, including Gaddi, Nalband, Kalal/ Eraki, Jat, Madaria, Surjapuri and Malik, forming around 2% of the population. Together, the Pasmandas make up 72.52% of the Muslim population in the state. AIPMM founder and former MP Ali Anwar Ansari told The Indian Express: "The Bihar caste survey report provides just a peep into the poor socio-economic and education status of Pasmanda Muslims in Bihar. If there is a nationwide census, we will get to know more on how and where the Pasmanda Muslims are placed and what corrective steps need to be taken.” Expressing his disappointment with the Opposition's skirting of Pasmanda issues, afraid of how the BJP will project it, Ansari added: "They should not avoid the word Pasmanda. It is not wise to maintain silence on 80% of the Muslim population. Pasmanda is a 'caste' and 'religious neutral' word. Dalits across religions connect with the neglected and backwards. If the Opposition parties also start using the word Pasmanda, then the slogan of Muslim appeasement being imposed on them by the BJP will be refuted. Instead of just doing 'tokenism' like the BJP, the Opposition should actually give proper representation to the Pasmandas or extremely backward Hindus and Muslims in the government and administration.” He also advised them to announce a plan for the community in their manifestos, to take on the BJP's 'Vishkarma Yojana' for weavers and other artisan castes.
