Ex-Justice Markandey Katju Calls Indian and Pakistani Muslims 'Fake' for Caste System, Sparks Debate

New Delhi- Former Supreme Court Justice Markandey Katju has sparked controversy by labeling Indian and Pakistani Muslims as "fake Muslims" in a recent x post, citing their adherence to a caste system that contradicts the Islamic principle of equality.

Katju, known for his outspoken views, argued that while Islam promotes equality among all people, most Muslims in India and Pakistan (except perhaps those in South India) strictly follow a caste hierarchy, dividing themselves into ashrafs (upper castes), ajlafs (intermediate castes), and arzals (lower castes).

Citing his 2016 article, Katju referenced Islamic teachings, emphasizing that the Prophet Muhammad advocated for equality, rejecting distinctions based on caste or social status. He noted that Islam's message of social emancipation historically appealed to oppressed groups, such as Dalits in India, who faced severe discrimination. Katju dismissed claims that Islam spread through forced conversions, stating that about 95% of conversions were voluntary, pointing to Indonesia, a 95% Muslim nation, where no Arab army enforced conversions.

"The upper caste Muslim castes include  Pathan, Muslim Rajput, Turk, Sheikh, Khan, Syed, Rizvi, biradri, and Malik. Ansari, Qureshi, etc are intermediate castes among Muslims,. like Hindu OBCs. Genetic data has also supported this stratification. The report commissioned by the government of India and released in 2006, documents the continued stratification in Muslim society," Katju's article reads.

He further wrote: While in the mosque all Muslims pray together,  but when it comes to marriage their attitude is very different, and most ashrafs ( upper caste Muslims ) will not marry Muslims of the lower castes.

The former Judge cited personal anecdotes to illustrate this divide. In one instance, a Rajput Muslim family in Uttar Pradesh's Banda, rejected a Dalit magistrate who converted to Islam to marry their daughter, declaring, "We changed our religion, not our caste." In another case, a Syed family refused a marriage proposal from a wealthy Ansari man, with the mother stating, "We don’t marry into lower castes," emphasizing their desire to remain within their "biraadari" (community).

Social media responses to Katju’s claims were mixed, fueling further debate. One user from Pakistan countered, "In Pakistan, there is no low or high caste, but people prefer to marry within the same caste for easy adjustment."

Another argued it’s a cultural issue, stating, "It’s basically a Hindu mindset as all current Muslims in the subcontinent were once Hindus, so they carry those traditions in weddings and other events," questioning how to eradicate centuries-old Hindu traditions.

A third user emphasized global Muslim unity, saying, "In the entire world, Muslims are equal, we are brothers and sisters, no caste system," attributing South Asian practices to lingering pre-Islamic cultural influences. Katju’s remarks have reignited discussions on caste within Muslim communities, highlighting tensions between religious ideals and cultural practices.