Day after PM’s advice, BJP gears up to get closer to Pasmandas

NEW DELHI: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the BJP cadre to reach out to the Pasmanda Muslim and Bohra communities, the party has started working in the direction, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

To begin with, the areas having a substantial population of the two communities across India will be visited by BJP functionaries for ‘interaction-cum-dialogue’ programmes. “The party is already reaching out to Pasmanda Muslims and has carried out many programmes in Uttar Pradesh and other states. Now, the need is to associate them with the party, giving organisational responsibility initially at local level,” a BJP leader said.

The Pasmanda community, which is lagging in terms of development as compared to non-Pasmanda Muslims, comprises 70-80% of total Muslim population in India. They are largely present in UP, Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand, MP, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra.“The BJP is finalising the strategy with experts after conducting research on their economic and educational condition. The programme will make them aware of their rights and the government’s schemes formulated for their upliftment,” said a source in the BJP.

The strategy will also involve women and young leaders of the BJP interacting with the two communities. It is likely to gain pace district-first in the poll-bound states after mid-February. Sources added that the government may consider launching schemes aimed at educating the Pasmanda Muslims.

“PM has asked us to reach out to them without having pollconsiderations. We would make them aware of BJP’s policies, which are not against them at all,” said a BJP leader. “To win the trust of marginalised groups, we need to meet their prominent members and know their issues and expectations from the government. Our programme will focus on that,” he added.  The party will also reach out to the Bohras in Gujarat. “They will be acquainted with BJP’s policy and urged to join if they are convinced with its nation-first policy,” an ex-MP said.