By Tanvir Salim,
Gorakhpur: A seminar on Pasmanda Muslim issues was held in Gorakhpur on December 22, 2013 in remembrance of late Ashfaq Husain Ansari by the social organization Ashfaq Husain Ansari Memorial Society which was named after him. This seminar was attended by hundreds of people from Gorakhpur and other neighboring districts. The theme of the seminar was “Pasmanda Aandolan- Dasha aur Disha.”
In this seminar rich tributes were paid to late Ashfaq Husain Ansari who passed away in 2008, leaving the unfinished agenda of the Pasmanda Movement. Speakers after speakers spoke about the deteriorating conditions of the Pasmanda Muslims in every sphere of life. There was a general consensus that education is the only tool that will help the marginalized and down trodden sections of the society to improve their living conditions. Almost all the political parties were blamed for being unfair to the Pasmanda Muslims. It was pointed out that the top posts in every political party are dominated by the upper echelons of the Muslim society. Somebody rightly questioned about the diminishing number of Pasmanda Muslims in the Parliament and State Assemblies.
After careful and lengthy deliberations the following were decided:
1-Pasmanda Muslims will go for the contestation of the ‘Total Muslim Reservations’ (TMR) campaigns, which are launched by the Ashraf classes among Muslims. The Pasmanda Muslims are covered within the existing reservations policy. The point is not about chalking a separate quota for all Muslims, but rather the deepening of existing reservation policy so that an adequate share for Dalit and backward caste Muslims is secured. The Ashraf Muslims are not ‘socially’ backward, and hence cannot be considered for reservations. The exclusion of forward Muslims from the Central OBC list is the main driving force for TMR campaigns.
2-Chalking out of a sub-quota for Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs) within OBC quota at the Central and State levels (the Bihar formula), where the backward caste Muslims could be clubbed together with similarly placed Hindu caste groups. This is a more judicious and non-communal demand than the 4.5% sub-quota for OBC-Minorities moved by the Congress Party before last Lok Sabha elections.
3-Scrapping of Presidential Order, 1950 (Clause 3) so that Dalit Muslims and Christians are duly included in the SC list.
4-State support to the artisans, crafts-persons, agricultural laborers and other cottage and small-scale industries through effective subsidies, credit and loan facilities, marketing support, skill up gradation.
5-Provide adequate representation of Pasmanda Muslims in ticket distribution in political parties.