LUCKNOW: Nearly three months after PM Narendra Modi pitched for the socio-economic emancipation of Pasmanda (backward) Muslims, the Uttar Pradesh BJP is set to host its first ever convention for the community – as part of its Muslim outreach in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The convention scheduled to be organized by UP BJP Muslim Morcha in Lucknow on October 16 is expected to see an attendance of over 1,000 delegates from different sub-castes within the Pasmanda community that accounts for around 80% of the voting population amongst Muslims.
The Morcha has specially invited Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana, a Pasmanda who was nominated to the Upper House of Parliament by President Droupadi Murmu last month. Khatana, who hails from the Gujjar Bakarwal community, has been a functionary of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an affiliate of the RSS. The Gujjar Bakarwal community has its presence largely in some of the north Indian states, including J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. It has close association with the Gurjar community in the west UP – jailed SP MLA from Kairana Nahid Hasan happens to be a Gurjar from the Pasmanda community.
A host of senior UP BJP functionaries and ministers, including deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and UP minister for minority welfare Danish Azad Ansari are expected to be present in the convention.
President of UP BJP Muslim Morcha Kunwar Basit Ali told TOI that the idea behind organising the convention was to establish communication channels with the various sub-castes within the Pasmanda Muslims who have largely been socio-economically poor. Sources said that representatives from some of the prominent sub-castes like Gaddi (Ghazi), Qureshi, Malik, Ansari, Turk, Alvi, Saifi and Dhobi are expected to attend the convention.
He said that the Pasmanda community has been one of the key beneficiaries of the public welfare schemes launched by the BJP government at the Centre. BJP sources said that close to 4 crore population of Psamanda Muslims in UP got benefited by one or the other schemes. The Pasmandas are learnt to be one of prime gainers of the free ration scheme which was rolled out by the Modi government following outbreak of Corona pandemic in 2020.
Sources said that the BJP plans a similar convention in other parts of the state, including Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of PM Modi. While the date of the proposed convention in Varanasi is yet to be announced, sources said that it may be held after Diwali. BJP plans to invite its national general secretary and Union labour minister Bhupendra Yadav at the convention.
The development comes days after a row erupted over Yogi Adityanath government’s decision to survey unrecognised madrassas in UP, with prominent Muslim bodies, including All India Personal Law Board (AIPLB), accusing the ruling BJP of targeting the centres of Islamic education.
The convention scheduled to be organized by UP BJP Muslim Morcha in Lucknow on October 16 is expected to see an attendance of over 1,000 delegates from different sub-castes within the Pasmanda community that accounts for around 80% of the voting population amongst Muslims.
The Morcha has specially invited Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana, a Pasmanda who was nominated to the Upper House of Parliament by President Droupadi Murmu last month. Khatana, who hails from the Gujjar Bakarwal community, has been a functionary of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an affiliate of the RSS. The Gujjar Bakarwal community has its presence largely in some of the north Indian states, including J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. It has close association with the Gurjar community in the west UP – jailed SP MLA from Kairana Nahid Hasan happens to be a Gurjar from the Pasmanda community.
A host of senior UP BJP functionaries and ministers, including deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and UP minister for minority welfare Danish Azad Ansari are expected to be present in the convention.
President of UP BJP Muslim Morcha Kunwar Basit Ali told TOI that the idea behind organising the convention was to establish communication channels with the various sub-castes within the Pasmanda Muslims who have largely been socio-economically poor. Sources said that representatives from some of the prominent sub-castes like Gaddi (Ghazi), Qureshi, Malik, Ansari, Turk, Alvi, Saifi and Dhobi are expected to attend the convention.
He said that the Pasmanda community has been one of the key beneficiaries of the public welfare schemes launched by the BJP government at the Centre. BJP sources said that close to 4 crore population of Psamanda Muslims in UP got benefited by one or the other schemes. The Pasmandas are learnt to be one of prime gainers of the free ration scheme which was rolled out by the Modi government following outbreak of Corona pandemic in 2020.
Sources said that the BJP plans a similar convention in other parts of the state, including Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of PM Modi. While the date of the proposed convention in Varanasi is yet to be announced, sources said that it may be held after Diwali. BJP plans to invite its national general secretary and Union labour minister Bhupendra Yadav at the convention.
The development comes days after a row erupted over Yogi Adityanath government’s decision to survey unrecognised madrassas in UP, with prominent Muslim bodies, including All India Personal Law Board (AIPLB), accusing the ruling BJP of targeting the centres of Islamic education.
