MODI’s Waqf and Pasmanda Thrust; Muslims With BJP by RKB
Modi’s Ashraf versus Ajlaf versus Arzal campaign will make the BJP unbeatable
By RKB
Politics abhors a vacuum; Congress left a vacuum in Muslim politics in India that was filled by Mulayam Singh Yadav, Laloo Yadav, Asaduddin Owaisi
Even Behen Mayawati with her huge Jatav Dalit base somehow could never slice through the Muslim OBC layers
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has been studying the layering of Muslim OBC castes and has managed to get the Bharatiya Janata Party to appeal to particular sections of Muslim OBC castes
The Congress had always dealt with Muslims as a whole, so had Mulayam Singh and Laloo Yadav
Now we have the BJP with its ferocious close focus on sub-categories within categories of Muslim societal cracks for an eventual consolidation during elections
Among the Muslims Dhobi, Mansoori, Idrisi (Darzi), Churihar, Mehtar, Lal Begi, Bhangi, Halalkhor, Miriasin, Mukri, Rangar, Rayeen or Kunjra, and so on…
These are just some of the oppressed classes among Muslims in Bihar
So is the case in Uttar Pradesh
You won’t find these OBCs among the ruling classes in any of the Muslim families who still control most major Muslim organisations and Waqf Boards
You will still find the Syeds, Sheikhs, Siddiquis, Khans, Farooquis ruling the roost
The RSS notably Indaresh Kumar found these faultlines, focused on them and began work
One of the fallouts of the argument on the Waqf Board Amendment Bill is the absence of the OBCs or Pasmandas among Muslims in the 32 WAQF Boards in India
Despite the alleged absence of of casteism in Islam, the reality as always in India is completely different; the Muslims community in India is understood to be divided along three lines – Ashrafs, Ajlafs and Arzals. The first are upper-caste or descendants of foreign invaders, Ajlafs are the converts and the Arzals are the most backward classes or converts.
The Ashrafs, who are the minority have mostly been the face of Muslims in Indian politics and the issues plaguing the Pasmandas (which comprise of the Ajlafs and Arzals), such as social justice and welfare have been relegated to the back burner by the Ashrafs who have usually been vocal about issues such as personal laws, identity as various reports across the board have said
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s research and street analysis team have done their homework well; just like they were able to slice through the Dalit vote for Mayawati (in that only the Jatavs remain loyal to the Bahujan Samaj Party), just like they quietly convinced other OBCs to work with them and against the Yadavs of the Samajwadi Party…the Muslim vote is low hanging fruit just waiting to be plucked
Here MODI’s BJP has been helped by the Congress’ stupidity in trying to regain the support and trust of Muslims…the Shah Bano matter being a case in point, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s baffling statement that “Muslims have first right on the country’s resources”, the 2013 Waqf Amendment Bill that allowed something called Waqf By User…for all of its falling over backwards to woo Muslim votes, that vote has studiously stayed away from the Congress
And now comes the BJP
With a very practical view of the situation
If even 25% of the Pasmanda (Pasmanda as in those who got left behind) vote gravitated towards the BJP with its development with respect plank, its game over for everyone else
And remember you read it here first!
