'Any caste census should include Muslims too': Pasmanda Muslim bodies

Lucknow: Amid growing demand for a caste census, particularly by parties in Bihar, two-time Rajya Sabha MP and President of All-India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, Ali Anwar Ansari has said that caste census should be extended to the Muslim community too.

Ansari said that caste census should not be restricted to the Hindu community but should be extended to the minority community as well, since Muslims also follow the caste system.

The All-India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz has been carrying on a campaign for reservation facilities to the Muslim backward communities. In this connection, a meeting of 17 Muslim organisations was recently held to chalk out further action plan.

A resolution passed at the meeting said, "Muslims, like Hindus, are divided among different castes and sub-castes. Since the caste census has not been done since 1931, this is a reason why the benefits of the government's policies have not reached the relatively weaker sections and numerically smaller castes"

The resolution also demanded to sub-categorize backward classes into backward and most backward on the lines of Bihar. "The sub-categorisation should be done at the central level and extended to the rest of the country". the resolution added.

A booklet was released on the occasion that also demanded Scheduled Castes status to "Dalit" sections of Muslims and Christians.

Anwar said the reports of the Ranganath Misra Commission and the Sachar Committee had made recommendations on these lines. A number of political parties have pitched for caste census, saying it is necessary to effectively implement welfare schemes for the backward sections of society and identify the extent of their backwardness.

"Nobody is raising their voice for weaker sections of the Muslim community. Muslims, contrary to perception, are not a monolithic homogenous community. Caste persists among Muslims as well and 80 per cent of the Muslim population belong to other backward classes," an Indian Express report quoted Ansari as saying.

"Development of such communities can take place only if there is data – on who the land owners are, what the economic situation of different communities are etc." the report further quoted Ansari.

He also felt that the letter given by [Bihar Chief Minister] Nitish Kumar, five opposition parties of Bihar, including Congress and Left parties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month which says that there should be caste enumeration in the Hindu community, was highly objectionable.The Ex-MP demanded to have an enumeration for everyone in the country including all religions.

Anwar, who was sacked from the JD(U) in 2017 for his opposition to the party joining hands with the BJP, alleged that the BJP-led government is trying to make Muslims "second class citizens" and also criticised the so-called secular parties for ignoring the concerns of the backward sections of Muslims.

Reports suggest that Ansari will be taking the demand to other states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana as well.