In “The causes of Indian Revolt” Sir Syed Ahmed Khan accused the so-called ‘low’ caste Ansaris, whom he abusively referred to as ‘Julahas’, for ‘being the most active’ in the Revolt.[vi] Ali Anwar argues that the publication of this book in Urdu, and then its translation into English, was a well-designed strategy to convince the British of the claim that the ashraf that is high status families comprising Syed, Qureshi, Hashmi and Pathan, were loyal to them and that the Muslims who had revolted against them were from the ‘low’ castes.[vii] In this way, Syed Ahmad and his fellow ashraf supporters sought to win the favour of the British, even if this meant instigating the latter against the so-called ‘low’ caste Muslims.
From above ideas of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan it is evident he considered all native Muslims as low class of people. And once the partition took place all his supporters i.e. syed, qureshi, hashmi and pathans considering them unprotected in absence of English rulers migrated to Pakistan where they still consider original native Muslims being of lower status to them.
Don’t you think same caste based discrimination still continues to persist in our country? And is this discrimination not a hurdle in progress of the common people?