By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: With an eye on assembly polls, the Pasmanda Muslim Samaj (PMS)-an outfit of backward Muslims created ripples in the community by announcing to support Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if they pledged upliftment of their community.
President, PMS, Anees Mansoori making the announcement during its annual conference at Peter Fanthome Hall in Lucknow on Monday stated that BJP cannot be treated as untouchable in politics. “We are for the upliftment of the backward Muslim community. If it is possible through BJP, we have no reservation in supporting them,” said Anis Mansoori.
“We represent backward Muslims who are lagging in all aspect. They are nowhere in the scene in politics, business, education and other walks of life. Now if BJP includes welfare of the backward Muslims in their agenda, we will support them,” he reiterated.
Lashing out at the forward Muslims, Mansoori stated that they grabbed the status, position and are close to the government. “They have created a situation where the backward Muslims who comprise 85 percent of the population remain aloof from development. We need to snatch our share,” said Mansoori.
However, during the annual conference, Mansoori showered praises on the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government in the state claiming that it has done its bit for the backward Muslims. “The present state government is sincere about upliftment of backward Muslims but a section of upper class Muslims are misleading the government,” he added. He also demanded that the recommendations of the Sachar committee reports should be implemented so that backward Muslims could get the benefits which are their legal rights. “We should be given 9 percent out 27 percent of the reservation meant for OBCs.” he added.
Meanwhile, State President of PMS, Waseem Raeen while appealing for unity of the Muslims, said that backward Muslims played vital role in recently concluded assembly elections in five state and the backward Muslims in UP should also come out from their cocoon and grab political power.