Why Congress Doesn’t Care About Pasmandas?
India’s Muslim community is often viewed as a homogeneous group, but in reality, it is deeply stratified by caste and class, just like Hindu society. Within this structure, the Pasmandas—a term meaning “those left behind” in Persian—represent the Dalit, backward caste, and artisan Muslim communities. They make up nearly 70-80% of India’s Muslim population, yet they remain socially and economically marginalized. The Indian National Congress, which has long claimed to be the guardian of minority rights and secular values, has historically failed to address the concerns of Pasmandas, choosing instead to align with the Ashraf elite. This article explores the reasons behind Congress’s neglect and the implications of such political apathy.
Historical Alignment with Elite Muslims
From the time of India’s independence, the Congress party has engaged with and elevated Ashraf Muslims—the upper-caste Muslim elite such as Syeds, Pathans, and Mughals—into positions of power and visibility. These groups have historically claimed superior social and religious status and have been overrepresented in political institutions, Muslim personal law boards, and academic platforms. In contrast, Pasmandas remained invisible, despite forming the majority of the Muslim population.
Congress, instead of correcting this imbalance, reinforced it by engaging primarily with elite Muslim leaders. This resulted in token representation for the community as a whole, without addressing the internal hierarchies and caste-based discrimination faced by Pasmandas.
The Fear of Fragmenting the Muslim Vote
One of the main reasons Congress avoids highlighting Pasmanda issues is the fear of splitting the Muslim vote bank. For decades, the Congress party treated Indian Muslims as a monolithic electoral bloc. Recognizing internal caste divisions, particularly the struggles of Pasmandas, would have required the party to reconfigure its minority outreach strategy. This was seen as a political risk.
Rather than engage with the reality of caste among Muslims, Congress chose the safer route of presenting an Ashraf-dominated leadership as the community’s representative voice. This helped preserve its electoral alliance with the elite, but it did so at the cost of Pasmanda exclusion and resentment.
Symbolism Over Structural Reform
Congress has often been accused of practicing symbolic secularism—offering gestures of inclusion, such as appointing a few Muslim faces in ministerial positions, rather than implementing policies that would bring real socio-economic upliftment. Pasmandas, who are typically employed in low-paying jobs and have lower access to education and healthcare, require targeted reforms, not just symbolic gestures.
Reports such as the Sachar Committee (2006) and Ranganath Misra Commission (2007) clearly identified the deprivation of backward Muslims and recommended affirmative action. While the Congress-led UPA government commissioned these reports, it failed to implement their key recommendations, such as including Dalit Muslims and Christians in the SC category or giving sub-quotas within OBC reservations. These unfulfilled promises highlighted the party’s reluctance to disturb entrenched power structures, even within minority communities.
Reliance on Religious Institutions and Clerics
Congress has historically aligned itself with religious bodies like Darul Uloom Deoband, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, and certain university leaderships (such as at AMU and Jamia), many of which are dominated by Ashraf Muslims. These institutions have often resisted the Pasmanda assertion because they uphold the status quo of caste-based privilege within Islam.
By deferring to these elite bodies for Muslim-related matters, Congress essentially outsourced its Muslim policy to groups that had little incentive to uplift Pasmandas. This alliance has meant that Pasmanda-specific issues like artisan community upliftment, Dalit Muslim conversion issues, and caste-based representation have remained unaddressed.
Marginalization of Pasmanda Voices
Over the decades, several Pasmanda-led movements have emerged, particularly in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Leaders such as Ali Anwar Ansari, founder of the Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, sought to challenge the Ashraf narrative and bring caste realities into the mainstream Muslim discourse. However, Congress showed little interest in integrating such grassroots movements into its structure.
Unlike some regional parties that began to give space to backward Muslim communities (like the RJD, JD(U), or BSP), the Congress remained largely indifferent, continuing to prop up urban, upper-class Muslim leaders. This made it difficult for authentic Pasmanda leaders to rise within the Congress system.
Urban Bias and Developmental Neglect
The Congress party’s policies have traditionally catered to urban Muslim concerns, such as representation in government jobs or protecting religious rights. However, Pasmandas are mostly rural and poor, often working in traditional occupations like weaving, carpentry, and leatherwork.
The Congress failed to initiate targeted welfare programs to improve the socio-economic conditions of these communities. Schemes like the Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) were implemented but lacked the caste-disaggregated data or outreach mechanisms necessary to benefit Pasmandas specifically.
The BJP’s Tactical Pasmanda Outreach
In recent years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun strategic outreach to Pasmandas, holding conventions and meetings focused on their issues. While this outreach is still limited and politically motivated, it has served one crucial purpose—it has exposed the Congress’s apathy and created a space where Pasmanda grievances can no longer be ignored.
The BJP’s moves, even if symbolic, have made the Congress seem outdated and out of touch with the evolving discourse on caste and representation within the Muslim community. Some Pasmanda voices have even begun exploring alliances outside the traditional Congress fold.
Conclusion: A Party at a Crossroads
The Congress party’s failure to engage with Pasmanda Muslims is not accidental—it is a product of long-standing political calculations, elite alliances, and a preference for symbolic over structural inclusion. However, in the changing socio-political climate of India, this strategy is no longer sustainable.
The rise of Pasmanda consciousness, coupled with competing parties making inroads into this neglected demographic, places Congress at a critical juncture. To remain relevant among Indian Muslims, the party must:
- Acknowledge caste as a reality within Islam.
- End its dependence on elite Muslim interlocutors.
- Promote genuine Pasmanda leadership.
- Implement development programs with a caste-lens.
Without such corrective measures, Congress risks permanently alienating the largest segment of the Muslim population, weakening both its moral credibility and electoral viability.
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