Time to nail the Muslim backwardness myth?
From a front page story in “The Economic Times” today (Apr 5, ’07) titled, “Hindu, Muslim equal in income”*:
“Forget all half-baked opinions you may have heard on the economic state of religious communities in India. Truth be told, at the national level, Hindus and Muslims are closer than you thought as far as average household income, expenditure, savings..go. In fact the gap between the two communities narrows appreciably, even reverses in some cases in favour of Muslims, in rural India”.
The report is based on a recent NCAER survey. For the record, Average Annual Household Income amongst Hindus is Rs 61,423 vs. Rs 58,420 for Muslims. For Christians, it is Rs 70,644 while Sikhs are appreciably better off at Rs 91,153.
So Muslims may still be socio-economically backward as a community (although their literacy rates are also higher than Hindus in several states**), but the emphasis on improving their condition should be on the “social” aspects of backwardness which are to a large extent due to poor literacy amongst women, lack of family planning, lack of education (or reliance on the alternative education system – the madrasas) etc.
* Title of the story on the web version is slightly different (I wonder why): “Muslims spend more than Hindu peers”.
** See also a related post: “Literacy rates and “first claims”
With the HC ruling that muslims cant be classified as minorities in UP, i think the courts have finally woken up to the truth….
But with mulayams and karunanidhis in power they wud spend more time in nullyfying such pathbreaking verdicts rather than implement them.
one thing has to be appreciated … in the midst of all pervading social decomposition and decay, at least occasional verdicts by judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts make us feel theres some justice left in this country.
You are right…an “activist” judiciary is the one saving grace left in the system.
Two other links that are relevant:
The first is the HC ruling (mentioned by Surya above):
“Muslims in UP can’t be treated as minority: HC” http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/04_2007/muslims-not-minorities-in-up-any-more-allahabad-hc-37800.html
which, amongst other things, states that: “”Muslims have ceased to be religious minority in Uttar Pradesh on considerations of materials on record includes various census reports including report of 1951 & 2001…”.
and the decision by the Tamil Nadu government to have an “exclusive reservation” for Christains and Muslims in government services and educational institutions. http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=84295
When the people in the know refuse to see facts, who can help them ?
It is incumbent on the voting mass of India to make sure these ostriches are thrown out of the office and new leaders elected who have the courage to see facts as they are and do something positive about it !
When the leaders say that muslims are backward in India in comparison, realise the lie that get them votes. Per calorie intake of muslims is more than that of majority community and this fact has been kept in the dark.
@ Abraham: Re: “Per calorie intake of muslims is more than that of majority community” – any data/references to support your assertion?
Is Abraham alluding to the fact that muslims eat Beef and hence the inference? Just the first thing that popped in my head!
Dear Shantanu,
Let us take this debate higher. I once again feel that there is no divide between the Muslims and Hindus. The divide is between “Islamists and “pseudo Seculars”; (Most of the pseudo seculars are ‘HINDUS’;
Today we have Muslims who are with the BJP. They are not Islamists. Today we have Muslims in Kasrgode who are working with the RSS to get the BJP candidate elected in the elections 2009.
Many of you would have heard of Shaikh Chinna Maulana, a Muslim player of the South Indian Wind Instrument the ‘Nadaswaram’, who was the Chief Musician of only of the holiest shrines for the Hindus Srirangam Temple in South India.
He was not an Islamist.
There need not be any differences of earning capacity analysed on the basis of religion. It has to be based on Indian to Indian.
Regards,
vck
@ vck: “The divide is between “Islamists and “pseudo Secularsâ€
I liked that. Well said!
@Shantanu: It is like making a distinction between the mirage called “moderate” and “Extremist” Taliban. Many are not able to comprehend who is the moderate and who is the extremist. Perhaps it is the difference between the wolf and the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
There must be moderates in Pakistan. But, where are the minorities who should have been protected by the so called moderates. What is the fate of the 1% that is still left out. Where are the moderates in the Kashmir valley when the Hindu Pandits were driven out to remain as refugees in their own land. If the presence of the so called moderates are not felt at the time needed, what is their use; to show off. Perhaps this link provides the answer: http://www.masada2000.org/Islam-Rules.html
I second KSV Subramanian’s comment.
As someone once put it:
‘Radical Islam is a violent death cult, and Moderate Islam is its Trojan Horse.’
See also Kaffir’s comment here
From a comment by Rachna on Stop saying ‘Because I am a Muslim’ that substantiates the point made in the last para of my post above: