ABSTRACT

The topic of Muslim caste has been getting space in media discourse and national politics recently through the concept of ‘Pasmanda’ – a term which refers to lower-caste Muslims. As the term gets wider purchase, it is important to question the concept and the category. What is the relationship of the category of Pasmanda with Muslim caste? Which struggles of Muslim lower castes is the term Pasmanda able to lend voice to, and what are the tensions encompassing the category. Through ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, I examine a newly established organisation called the Pasmanda Adhikār Manch to explore how different single-caste associations come together under the Pasmanda banner. The caste-associations of the Halalkhor, Shah, and Nanpuz communities have the difficult task of countering the invisibilisation of Muslim caste not only by the state, but by their own caste brethren. They have limited room to demand anything from the state, considering that it hardly acknowledges the existence of their caste groups and is suspicious of their political claims as Muslims. Coming together under the Pasmanda umbrella helps provide a wider platform for assertion of Muslim caste. However, the category comes with limitations that threatens to undo its purpose.

摘要

最近，穆斯林种姓话题通过“帕斯曼达”概念（指低种姓穆斯林）在媒体讨论和国家政治中占据一席之地。随着这个术语得到更广泛的使用，质疑这个概念和类别很重要。帕斯曼达类别与穆斯林种姓有何关系？“帕斯曼达”一词能够表达穆斯林低种姓的哪些斗争，以及围绕这一类别的紧张局势是什么。通过在北方邦瓦拉纳西进行的民族志田野调查，我研究了一个新成立的名为 Pasmanda Adhikār Manch 的组织，以探索不同的单一种姓协会如何在 Pasmanda 旗帜下聚集在一起。哈拉霍尔（Halalkhor）、沙赫（Shah）的种姓协会，南普兹社区面临着一项艰巨的任务，即反对国家和他们自己的种姓兄弟对穆斯林种姓的隐形化。考虑到国家几乎不承认他们的种姓群体的存在，并且对他们作为穆斯林的政治主张持怀疑态度，他们向国家提出任何要求的空间有限。在帕斯曼达保护伞下聚集在一起有助于为维护穆斯林种姓提供更广泛的平台。然而，该类别具有局限性，可能会破坏其目的。在帕斯曼达保护伞下聚集在一起有助于为维护穆斯林种姓提供更广泛的平台。然而，该类别具有局限性，可能会破坏其目的。在帕斯曼达保护伞下聚集在一起有助于为维护穆斯林种姓提供更广泛的平台。然而，该类别具有局限性，可能会破坏其目的。