Lucknow, Sep 12 (IANS): As the demand for caste census gains momentum among various political parties, the Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh is also keen on caste enumeration of the Backward Castes.

The All-India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, which has been carrying on a campaign for reservation facilities to the Muslim backward communities, has demanded that a caste census of the minority community also be held.

In this connection, a meeting of 17 Muslim organisations was recently held to chalk out further action plan.

Mahaz President Ali Anwar Ansari said the caste census should not be restricted to the Hindu community but should be extended to the minority community as well, since Muslims also follow the caste system.

Ansari said, "Muslims, like Hindus, are divided among different castes and sub castes. Since the caste census has not been done since 1931, this is a reason why the benefits of the government's policies have not reached the relatively weaker sections and smaller castes. Backward classes should be sub categorised into backward and most backward."

"The sub-categorisation should be done at the central level and extended to the rest of the country", he said.