After Pasmanda Muslims, BJP To Connect With 10,000 Sufi Dargahs In Uttar Pradesh, Committees Formed In 22 States

After the highly discussed Pasmanda Muslim outreach by the BJP, which was supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, the ruling party has initiated a parallel outreach program targeting the country's largest religious minority - the Sufi Samvad Maha Abhiyan or the Sufi dialogue.

Under the Sufi Samvad Maha Abhiyan, the BJP's Minority Morcha organised a program in Lucknow on 12 October. Over 200 Sufis from more than 100 dargahs attended the event. They were urged to spread the message of the Modi government's policies and schemes to Muslims across India.

“PM Modi admires the Sufis as an important part of Bharatiya tradition. The Sufis lived among the common people, taught pluralism, and were inclusive towards all, irrespective of religion, caste, creed or belief." Minority Morcha president Jamal Siddiqui told The Indian Express.

According to him, the PM wants the BJP to reach out to the Sufis across the country to share the vision of the PM and information about the welfare policies of the government. This is a specific outreach apart from the Pasmanda outreach.

"It is aimed at taking through Sufi spiritual leaders the message of the BJP among their followers, who come from all strata of society, particularly Muslim society,” Siddiqui added.

Siddiqui clarified that the goal is not to recruit Sufis into the BJP but to establish a dialogue and reach out to the common Muslims. By engaging with Sufis, the party aims to understand the challenges they face and the demands they have, which can then be conveyed to the government for appropriate action.

Committees have been established in 22 states to engage with Sufis, as the Minority Morcha leader believes that terrorism weakens in areas where Sufism is strong, while it thrives in places where Sufism is weakened.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and upcoming Assembly polls in five states, the party is making efforts to connect with the leaders of over 10,000 Sufi dargahs in Uttar Pradesh alone. This outreach is strategically timed.

The party aims to reach out to Sufis across the state, organising meetings with those who respond positively. During these meetings, the party will emphasise PM Modi's admiration for Sufis.

"The PM believes that the influence of Sufism spreads the message of love, peace and brotherhood. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also a saint like them. They will be told how Opposition parties like the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) spread false propaganda in the Muslim community against the BJP,” said Kunwar Basit Ali, UP president of the Minority Morcha.

At the Lucknow meeting a slogan was coined that Ali shared, "Na doori hai na khaai hai, Modi hamara bhai hai (there is neither a distance nor a gorge, Modi is our brother)". He also mentioned that if Muslim people in any locality express the desire to meet a senior BJP leader, the party will send a minister, MP, or MLA to listen to their concerns.

According to Ali, Sufi saints uphold the belief in brotherhood among all communities, making them a potential medium to expand the BJP's influence among Muslims.

The BJP has already gained support from various Hindu communities across different regions of India. Now, the party is attempting to engage with Muslims, recognising that they are not a homogenous group.

The BJP's outreach includes targeting backward-class Muslims and highlighting the presence of caste divisions within all communities in India. The party is also reaching out to Sufis, who are considered more inclusive, particularly within the Chishti Order. This approach aims to contrast the BJP with more dogmatic sections of Muslim society.