Earlier this month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the country’s Muslims in a televised interview, denying that he had made hate speeches against the minority community in his campaign rallies. In several rallies leading up to India’s general election, Modi referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” and “those with many children,” using language that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its far-right allies have employed for years. However, in the interview, Modi expressed shock at the criticism of his speeches, emphasizing that he did not specifically target Muslims and that his comments were directed towards all individuals, regardless of their religious background, who have more children than they can care for.
Modi’s comments shed light on a lesser-known aspect of the BJP’s political campaign, particularly its attempts to reach out to the “Pasmandas,” a marginalized section of India’s Muslim population. Coined in the 1990s by former parliamentarian Ali Anwar, the term “Pasmandas” refers to those Muslims who have been left behind due to a caste system within the community. Anwar’s organization, the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, advocates for the rights of these marginalized Muslims and challenges the dominance of upper-caste Muslims in political and social spheres.
The BJP, recognizing the potential support from the Pasmanda community, has made efforts to appeal to this group by highlighting the disparities within the Muslim population and promising to address the issues faced by the less privileged Muslims. Modi’s speeches and the party’s outreach initiatives aim to demonstrate inclusivity and welfare for all, including the marginalized Pasmanda Muslims. This strategy also seeks to counter the narrative of opposition parties using Muslims as a mere voting block and neglecting the empowerment of the Pasmanda community.
Overall, the BJP’s focus on the Pasmandas reflects a broader attempt to address caste divisions within Indian society, both Hindu and Muslim, and to win over the support of marginalized communities in the country’s political landscape.