Karnataka's Social & Educational survey: Muslims asked to identify as a caste, mark 'Islam' as religion

Bengaluru: Top Muslim leaders have decided that their community members must identify themselves as a 'Muslim' caste under the religion of ‘Islam’ during the Social & Educational Survey starting September 22.

This was decided at a meeting chaired by Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan held late Thursday night.

The meeting also had Haj Minister Rahim Khan, Government Chief Whip Saleem Ahmed, Chief Minister’s Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed, retired IAS officer LK Atheeq, MLA Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, Bengaluru Jamia Masjid’s Imam Maulana Maqsood Imran Rashadi among others.

“We have asked all our community members to participate,” Saleem Ahmed told DH. “During the survey, it was decided that our members should identify ‘Islam’ as religion, ‘Muslim’ as the caste and sub-castes wherever applicable,” he said.

Identifying as a ‘Muslim’ caste will help the community retain its Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation.

The ‘Muslim’ community in Karnataka comes under Category-2B with a 4% reservation. Sub-castes like Pinjara and Nadaf come under Category-1, which also has a 4% reservation.

As per the junked 2015 Social & Educational Survey, there were 76.99 lakh Muslims, making them the second-largest bloc after the SC/STs in the state. The survey also found 99 sub-castes among Muslims: Attari, Baghban, Chapparband, Darji, Dhobi, Irani, Johari, Kalaigar, Moghal, Pattegar, Phool Mali, Rangrez, Sipaayi, Takankar. Teli and so on.

Among the sub-castes, the Shaik Muslims were enumerated as the largest with a population of 5.5 lakh, followed by Sunni Muslims at 3.49 lakh.

The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes had recommended hiking reservation for the ‘Muslim’ community under Category-2B from 4% to 8%.

Saleem Ahmed said Muslims must specify sub-castes as many of them are based on professions. “If those Muslims who come under Category-1 don’t specify the sub-caste, then they may be put under Category-2B,” he said.

Muslims were categorised under OBC in 1994 based on the Chinnappa Reddy Commission’s report. The previous BJP government decided to scrap the 4% quota for Muslims, arguing that the Constitution did not allow religion-based reservation. The decision, however, was not seen through after it was challenged before the Supreme Court.

The ruling Congress, however, has argued that Muslims have reservation based on backwardness as a class, not religion. The 2015 survey found that Muslims were the most backward community in terms of livelihood.