In a development likely to have far-reaching implications for leading Muslim organisations in the country, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat has announced plans to reserve seats for women and Pasmanda community representatives to the body’s 25-member national executive. Besides, plans have been announced to bring on board four members from southern States and one representative of northeast India.
Two seats each have been earmarked for women and notified Muslim OBC representatives. This is the first time ever that seats have been reserved on caste lines in any Muslim body in the country.
Incidentally, the Mushawarat is the umbrella body of 12 Muslim organisations, including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the Muslim League, Indian National League and Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith. The changes have been brought in with select amendments to the constitution of the Mushawarat. The amendments were brought in through a referendum that took place via a postal ballot.
“The moment the amended constitution got the consent of the members, it was considered passed,” says Navaid Hamid, President, AIMMM. A little over 81% of the members voted in favour of reservation for women through a referendum while nearly 74% voted in favour of Pasmanda reservation.
The groundbreaking changes come with a cloud of uncertainty. Three leading organisations, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, its student wing SIO, and Indian National League boycotted today’s deliberations. It was argued that Mr. Hamid is a caretaker president and hence, not authorised to bring in far-reaching changes to the constitution. They argued that Mr. Hamid’s extended tenure as the president of the body ended in September this year. Hence, the changes he has brought in cannot stand legal scrutiny.
Among those who participated in today’s deliberations were representatives of Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith, Markazi Ahl-e-Hadith-e-Hind, All India Momin Conference, Jamiatul Quraish and Association of Muslim Professionals, while others sent in letters of support.
“His elected term ended on December 31, 2019. His grace period also ended on September 5, 2022. He is not authorised to amend the constitution. His plans to reserve seats for women and Pasmanda are unprecedented. In Mushawarat, we have never seen the caste of a person occupying a seat,” says Zafarul Islam Khan, former president of the Mushawarat, adding, “When I became the president in 2008, the first choice was Maulana Abdul Haq Ansari who was the president of Jamaat-e-Islami. He was a Pasmanda. It did not matter to any member. However, the Jamaat’s policy was to not accept any presidency. So, he did not become the president of the Mushawarat and I got a chance.”
Mr. Khan contends that the Mushawarat today is a mere coterie of yes men, and Mr. Hamid is a mere caretaker till fresh round of elections take place; the changes go against the letter and spirit of the body.
Mr. Hamid argues that he has every right to be in the seat till the elections and the changes are legally sound as they have been ushered in through a referendum. “Those questioning the referendum, they also participated in it though through negative voting. Why did they participate in the referendum? It means they accepted the process.”
