By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: To press for their demands, the Pasmanda Muslim Samaj (PMS) — an organisation of backward Muslims — will organise a conference at Jhulelal Park here Thursday (13th Oct). The organisation has released an 11-point charter of demands for political parties in lieu of support during coming assembly elections.
The PMS, which includes 36 backward castes of Muslims, has been raising the issue of plight of backward Muslims for past several months in the state. With elections approaching, the organisation has decided to intensify the stir.
“We have met leaders of various political parties and gave them our memorandum of demands. It is upto them now to take decision,” said National President, PMS, Anees Mansoori.
The demands include SC status to Dalit Muslims, constitution of a Backward Muslim Commission, upliftment of educational status of backward Muslims, reservation in various government welfare schemes etc.
“If backward Muslims are accorded SC status we can also contest from reserved seats. It will be a major step for upliftment of backward Muslims’ status,” said Mansori.
The PMS leaders also remained highly critical of present day Muslim leaders. “These Muslim leaders took our votes but did nothing to improve our situation. Now the backward Muslims will themselves deal with parties,” said Mansoori.
The PMS leaders even claimed that if their demands are not met by political groups, they may field their own candidates in the assembly elections. “We have identified 70 such seats with sizeable backward Muslim populations where we can change the outcome,” he said.