Pasmanda Muslim Mahaj and other groups argue that some Muslim castes face worse conditions than Scheduled Castes
Team Clarion
PATNA — Several organisations in Bihar have urged the inclusion of certain Muslim castes in the Scheduled Castes (SC) list, citing severe social and economic marginalisation of the community. On Friday, these organisations submitted a memorandum to the Justice KG Balakrishnan Commission, which is currently conducting hearings at the capital city’s Gyan Bhavan.
The organisations, led by Pasmanda Muslim Mahaj President and former MP Ali Anwar Ansari, highlighted the plight of nearly a dozen Muslim castes, whose conditions he claimed are even worse than those of the recognised Scheduled Castes. The memorandum referenced earlier recommendations from both the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission and the Sachar Committee, which had suggested the inclusion of Dalits from various religions under the ambit of Article 341.
Ansari, while submitting the memorandum, expressed the dire circumstances faced by these castes within the Muslim community. “The Justice Ranganath Misra Commission had earlier opposed the religious restrictions imposed by Article 341 and recommended that Dalits from other religions, including Islam, should be included. The Sachar Committee made similar recommendations,” said Ansari. He further emphasised that “many of these castes face untouchability not just from other communities, but from within the Muslim community itself.”
Supporting this stance, Kamal Ashraf, National President of the Backward Muslim Front, echoed the need for recognition and inclusion of Dalit Muslims in the SC list. “In 2022, the Central government constituted this commission to assess the identity and status of Dalit Muslims. The social, professional, and educational levels of many Muslim castes are akin to those of the Scheduled Castes, but they have been excluded due to religious restrictions,” Ashraf explained.
The memorandum presented by these organisations drew attention to the socio-economic disadvantages faced by these castes, which have historically been marginalised. “The socio-economic and educational conditions of these castes have not improved, and they remain trapped in traditional occupations similar to those of the Scheduled Castes. Yet, because of their religious identity, they have been denied the benefits and protections that Scheduled Caste status provides,” the memorandum stated.
Additionally, the memorandum stressed the importance of addressing this issue from a human rights perspective, arguing that all marginalised groups, regardless of religion, should have access to equal opportunities and protections under the law.
However, the demand for inclusion has not been without opposition. The Ram Seva Stambh Bihar, a prominent organisation, submitted a counter-memorandum to the Balakrishnan Commission, arguing that changes to the SC list are not feasible. “The inclusion of new groups in the SC list is not possible. The Presidential Order of 1950 clearly defines the castes eligible for SC status, and any modifications to this list would require extensive legal and constitutional amendments,” the memorandum stated.
Harikeshwar Ram, an office-bearer of Ram Seva Stambh Bihar, clarified the position further. “The SC status was granted to neo-Buddhists in 1990 because they were originally included as Scheduled Castes in 1950. Their rights were temporarily revoked due to their adoption of Buddhism, but were reinstated as they met the criteria set by the Presidential Order. However, the case of Muslims is different. The untouchability associated with those who converted to Islam was effectively abolished over 150 years ago.”
