The Pasmanda issue threatens to snowball into the Muslim community’s Mandal moment. In a demand likely to have far-reaching implications, the BJP OBC Morcha national president, K. Laxman, on Saturday demanded a 50% reservation for the Pasmanda community in Muslim institutions such as Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Millia Islamia and Jamia Hamdard. The move has riled a section of the community, with many regarding it to be a ruse to divide the community on caste lines.
Speaking at the Pasmanda Muslim Sneh Milan Evam Samman Samaroh in New Delhi, Mr. Laxman said, “I draw your attention to the centuries-old injustice and exploitation of the Pasmanda Muslims within the community. The Pasmandas are socially, economically and politically weak. Their condition has not improved even after 75 years of Independence. The issue of Pasmandas has been drowned under the noise of Hindu-Muslim drums. The Pasmanda Muslims should have the benefit of 50% reservation in AMU, JMI and JH. Today.”
Earlier, the former Chairman of the National Minorities Commission, Atif Rasheed, who is the chief of the BJP Minority Morcha, had written to the Vice-Chancellors of AMU, JMI and JH, requesting reservation for Pasmanda Muslims in the universities.
