New Delhi: In an effort to win over Pasmanda Muslims, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to hold functions in all civic bodies similar to the one held in Lucknow last Sunday.

In the recently held event in Lucknow by BJP’s minority wing, members of Pasmanda Community were honoured with saffron pagadis and scarves. The venue echoed with the ‘Vande Matram’ and ‘Jai Hind’ slogans.

During the event, BJP leaders did not miss the opportunity to get to the Opposition in the state. They accused the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress of using Muslims for ‘vote-bank’ politics.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said “After Independence, you were treated like tejpatta (bay leaf) which is thrown away from biryani after cooking. You too were discarded by these parties after taking your votes.”

The saffron party insisted that the BJP wants to work for the political empowerment of the Dalit Muslim minority by ensuring their participation.

After the conference, the BJP took no time to announce handing out 1,200 tickets to Pasmanda Muslims in the upcoming municipal elections.

UP Minority Morcha president Kunwar Basit Ali said the community has been neglected always while claiming that BJP always provided supporting to them.

He added that the saffron party wants their political upliftment by giving them tickets for civic polls.

Who Are Pasmanda Muslim and Why Are They Important?

Eyeing on the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in 2024, the saffron party aims at impress the community which covers 80 per cent of population in the state. Pasmanda Community is of the Dalit Muslims.

Pasmanda in Persian used to denote caste-based discrimination within the backward Muslim community. However, in India, it has a poor representation in the fields of jobs, legislature and community organisation.