The All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaj (AIPMM) unveiled statistics concerning the dire condition of backward and extremely backward Muslims in Bihar on Tuesday, asserting that their plight surpasses that of Dalits in society.

The organisation presented a set of demands aimed at improving the status of “Pasmanda” (backward, extremely backward Muslims) and urged them to distance themselves from communal, orthodox and regressive parties such as the BJP or Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, as they merely represent “two sides of the same coin” and bolster each other.

According to a caste-based survey conducted by the Bihar government in 2023, Muslims constitute 17.7 per cent of the state’s population of 13.07 crore, spanning across 38 castes.

“Muslim society isn’t a monolithic, homogenous entity. Among the total Muslim population, 72.52 per cent belong to seven other backward castes (OBC) and 28 extremely backward castes (EBC). The social, educational, and economic conditions of some of these castes are worse than those of Dalits in society. Over 30 per cent of Pasmanda families live below the poverty line, with incomes less than Rs 6000 per month,” said AIPMM national president and former MP Ali Anwar.

Anwar further highlighted that one of the primary demands for the advancement of Pasmanda Muslims was to grant scheduled caste (SC) status to the most marginalised among them.

“These castes like Bhatiyara, Madari, Mararia, Halalkhor, Bhangi, Lalbegia and others should be included in the SC category. The government should increase the SC quota to provide reservations under this category,” Anwar said.

Established in 1998, the AIPMM noted that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi was cognisant of the dire conditions of Pasmanda Muslims, despite failing to take any action to alleviate their plight.

It also called for a caste census in the country and reservation in private sector jobs.