Indian Muslims – “A Story of Betrayal”
Sachar Committee Findings: A Story of Betrayal
by Sadia Dehlvi
The findings of the Sachar committee report on the status of Indian Muslims are being termed as explosive and shocking. They come as no surprise to me or anyone else who is in touch with Indian realities and have been troubled about the condition of Indian Muslims. These facts have been staring at us all these years but the country has chosen to ignore them. However, the committee findings has awakened the nation’s conscience to the marginalization and plight of the Muslim community.
A major objective achieved by the report is that it demolishes the minority appeasement theory forever. Be it the Congress, Left or any other political party, the truth is that their secular rhetoric has not translated into economic realities for the Muslim community. The Muslims have been the victim of vote bank politics and the genuine will to improve their lot has been lacking. The figures in the reports tell a very sad story of victimisation, neglect and discrimination. The story was not the same at the time of partition and we must accept that something has drastically gone wrong in free India. It is a betrayal to those Muslims who chose to remain in India and had faith in the secular ideals enshrined in our constitution.
We must acknowledge religious discrimination just as we should acknowledge caste oppression in Modern India for only then can we seek remedial measures. I firmly believe that reservation has the potential to bring about a new face of India .The great Indian dream cannot lie in a handful of IIMs, some glitzy malls and multiplexes but in giving the children of those who toiled to make those structures a chance to change their lives and the lives of those around them. Whatever caste or religion they belong to, the underprivileged have every right to claim a stake in education, governance and employment. The nation needs its privileged citizens to make some sacrifices and take the higher moral ground. India’s tale of freedom is laden with sacrifice and the youth need to be cautioned against the I, me and myself syndrome which is a morally bankrupt Western doctrine.
Sadly, battle lines on the basis of caste are already drawn and we can only hope the debate on reservations for Muslims does not turn communal. It is therefore necessary to emphasise that the Muslims are not asking for reservations on the basis of religion but to be measured on the same scale as the other backward classes in the country. The demand for reservations is hardly a matter of pride for the Muslim community but a humiliating admission of backwardness stemming from helplessness.
A percentage reserved for Muslims within the OBC quota could vary from region to region according to the percentage of Muslim population and according to the level of their backwardness. We need to broaden the concept of reservation beyond caste and have an economic classification. Some states like Kerala, Karnatka and Tamil Nadu have reserved jobs for Muslims resulting in a qualitative difference between the north Indian and south Indian Muslim. In Kerala the Muslims constitute 22 of the population and there are 12% jobs reserved for them. These jobs are available to families earning less than two and a half lac rupees annually. In Karnataka the Muslims are able to avail of 8% of jobs from three different categories including general, community and profession.
Reservation is just one corrective measure but if the issue is used to play divisive politics, it will result in a communal backlash which will hurt and further alienate an already bruised community.
A specific multi layered program upliftment program is what the Muslims need. Primary education must be made available in Muslim ghettos, coaching classes for Muslim graduates to enable them to take part in the competitive exams for government employment is another necessity. A large number of India’s artisans are Muslim and they need help in creating contemporary designs with their craft which can cater to the high end market since the low end market has been taken by China rendering thousands jobless. Vocational training workshops will help the uneducated youth to get employment. Muslim entrepreneurs should be able to avail of small loans with ease. Corporate India should be sensitized to the minority’s problems and could help in the form of scholarships and employment. The private sector could be given some incentives to encourage providing jobs for Muslims not necessarily in managerial positions, but as drivers, guards, peons and at other such positions.
The singular place where Muslims are over represented and constitute nearly 35% of inmates are the jails. It is an indicator of the Muslim reality and is a direct result of poverty, illiteracy and social depravation. The problem is serious and leaves no space for political games. A vision coupled with the courage and will to act is what is required for damage control. If urgent affirmative action is not taken the situation can only get worse. Gandhiji held that a nation be judged by the way it treats its minorities. If the Muslims are unable to join hands with their other Indian brethren in Indias glorious march to progress, History will read it as the failure of the Indian secular state.
The writer can be contacted at sadia@vsnl.com
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Sadia ji why will the Congress or Left or any other party do anything for the Muslims? They feed off the misery and ignorance of the population.An economically and educationally strong community will not fall prey to their exploitative politicking and thus why would they want to kll their ‘golden goose’(no pun intended)?
It is up to the leaders of the commuity to stop playing the dirty game of politics with these parties and concentrate on empowering and enabling the commuity. Trust me, no Hindu rejoices in the misery of another community…….we ourselves need delieverance from this pseudo secularism and caste based politics.
Vandana is right. Why will any party do anything for Indian Muslims ? Give me a reason. Their appeasement does not go beyond the Iftar Party – Haj Subsidy (maintaining Air India’s monopoly) – skull cap / green saree in Muslim dominated areas – and an occasional “Throw” of a verse in Urdu… A mushaira here and there.. an award.. of Rs. 5 thousand here and there.. Khush Kar Diya.. hee-hee-hee. Some appeasement, eh !
Go to any Muslim-dominated locality (ghetto) and see the real conditions of “appeased” Indian Muslims… how they are eating Halwa and Puri in silver-utensils… (or crystal ware… as silver-ware is prohibited).
Maulana Waheeduddin Khan approached RSS directly., for a honest discussion. RSS is afraid of the tsunami of love. It had built its citadel of “hatred” over the past 80 years… so it gave him a cold shoulder. Narendra Modi and Moditva thrive on hatred for the “other”. If there is not an enemy, create an enemy. Inject fear – divide communities – and reap the dividend (political power). This is the shortest cut to power (a billion dollar business today). Can any decent person win elections in Democratic Decent Secular Cultured Artistic India today ? Can Megha Patkar win an election. Can Arundhati Roy win an election. Can Harsh Mandar win an election. Can Julius Ribeiro win an election. Can Kiran Bedi win an election. Can Lyngdoh win an election… The answer is NO. You need crores to win an election. Democracy has become “big business” in India.
Added to social strife (community hatred / strereotyping / hate speech and racism); is the entry of greed. The eddifice of morality is melting. RSS wants to build the Hindu psyche… inject brutality into it… How to do that ? By encouraging a culture of mob violence. Turning the average Hindu into a goonda., literally.
The Hindu Taliban will not rest until they turn india into a Hindu Afghanistan. Moral Policing.. barbarianism.. brutality… all committed in the darkest shade of safforn.
What can muslims do on their own ? They are a poor community in the main (90%). The 10% who are excluded, uplifted themselves by migrating to the Gulf doing menial jobs (labour / clerks). The highest paid profesional jobs in the gulf are held by Hindus. There is a difference between a Hindu NRI (USA/Gulf) and the Muslim NRI (The labour / clerk). These people uplifted themselves. So the level of stark poverty among muslims is 90%. Hunger in a muslim home pains me.. hunger in a hindu home pains me too.. But there is a difference. The system goes in favour of the Hindu. The system goes against the Muslim.
Go to a Govt. Hospital., and give a Muslim name.., and see how the receptionist treats you. Go searching for a house wearing a skull cap., and see what reaction you get. Apply for a job with a muslim name. Try this “litmus test” … for a first-hand real experience. There is discrimination against muslims. Everyone knows it. Nothing can be done about it.
Manmohan Singh ji placed the Sachar Report in Parliament. It documents truths. Yet nothing could be done on those recommendations. India needs a very strong leader to save the country from the challenge of the Hindu Taliban. Someone who will provide the antidote to the Modi Poison.
Hatred is a destroyer. Be it Taliban in Afghanistan or Hindu Taliban of the RSS.
What can Muslims do in the situation (apart from lamenting) ? Honestly, nothing much. They must take to education very seriously. That will improve the quality. They will still be rich., but intellectual stature will grow. It is not tangible. They wont start living in palaces and drive cars. That will not come immediately… and that should not be the goal too. The word “ILM” (Knowledge / Education ) appears 300 times in the Quran. Muslims must take to education on a war-footing. RSS onslaught and Moditva must be answered with solid education.
Congress / etc. party .. will not do anything for muslims. Muslims should not expect any favours too. Iftar parties must be boycotted. Haj Subsidy must be returned to the Govt. “with thanks”. Intellectual Stature must grow. Muslims must take to English as Language of Education and master Math and Science and learn French and Mandarin. SO what if they are poor… That is not a matter of shame. Economic poverty will go away in time. Education – Education – and Education. that should be the Mantra for Muslims. They will be denied seats in the IITs.. .IIMs.. Medical and Engineering streaks. Fine. Yet they must study. If they want to study and educate themselves, RSS cannot stop that. Instead of buying 1 tola of Gold, if a Muslim buys 10 books instead., RSS cannot do a thing. Mindset must change. After “Faith” (Imaan)., Education should be Item No. 2.
Go for simple marriages.. .but spend on Education.
Jai Hind.
Dastagir it is sad to read so much hatred for a community.Muslims the world over lament the fact that the entire Islamic community is being tarred for the actions of a few and yet you thought nothing of tarring my whole community as Hindu Taliban and made wild accusations of their wanting to turn India into a Hindu Aghansitan……if we were that interested in a Modi type of government we would have voted people like him into complete power a long time ago.We didn’t and it is because of us that BJP still finds it hard to come into power on its own strength.
You are right though about education being the only route for any community wanting to uplift itself.
I agree with the miserable plight of Indian Muslims. However, do the Muslims remember how they completely cleared all East and West of all Hindus, and Sikhs in 1947. Still India has over 100 million muslim population. Which is more tolerant country, you tell me? Partition was not a solution; it actually agravated the problem and resulted in enmass killing of Hindus and Sikhs. The best solution was a loose confederation of muslim and Hindu majority autonomous states, United States of India, where centre to have only very limited defined subjects. British proposed it, Congress rejected it, Jinah hardened his stand for Pakistan, though he initially accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan 1946. After congress rejected, he even expanded the plan, and when he didn’t get that, he asked for division, or destruction with direct action supported by the Muslim League. Jinah regreted the creation of Pakistan on his death bed,”Biggest blunder of my life” he said,”I wish I go to Delhi.” All minorities in undivided India in a loose confederation with autonomous regions would have been the best for the Indian Sub-continent now called India, Pakistan and Bangla Desh. May God, Allah, Rabb, waheguru bless us now with some sense of peaceful co-existence without any more suffering.
as a nation we need to get our act together.
oh one more “I am the Victim ” story and a hidden Justification of why I am “bad”.. for how long will they ignore truth .. for how long they will ignore introspection .
They have these ghost every where .. RSS in India , Free Media in Europe, Imaginary Jews in USA ..
As Dastgir said
“Go to a Govt. Hospital., and give a Muslim name.., and see how the receptionist treats you. Go searching for a house wearing a skull cap., and see what reaction you get. Apply for a job with a muslim name. Try this “litmus test” … for a first-hand real experience. There is discrimination against muslims. Everyone knows it. Nothing can be done about it.”
I think this victim mentality has token its toll .. these imaginary ghosts have become real .. and muslims are responsible for this
A community which suffocates and tortures their own mothers and sisters is bound to be backward, both economically and educationally. A proof are the Islamic Arab countries, despite huge oil reserves, the are educationally non existent and its an open fact that they will return to camels and tents as soon as oil is over (which is not very far).
Time to introspect, give up cruelty especially sex based discrimination, animal torture (even while killing animals, painful “halaal”, while the animal is tortured is a must !!), stop religious fanaticism (How about forgetting the word “Kafir” and stop blocking roads on Fridays, and acknowledging that fanatical muslim kings actually broke Hindu temples? )
I am sure if you pay attention to above points, you will not need reservations (which I think should not be given to muslims at any cost, because:
1. While the SC/STs were discriminated against, The Muslims were the “Discriminators” (It was Hindus who paid Jajiya tax!!)
2. Fundamentalist Islam ruined Nalanda and Taxsila, we dont want IITs and IIMs to go the same way.
3. Muslim reservations will result in amplification of hostile fundamentalism, as the beneficiaries will be the richer muslims: the real fundamentalists.
4. I am an OBC, and my ancestors were tortured by Muslim Kings for years, I cant tolerate that the tortures get paid for the torture.
)
Well, there was a betrayal to the Indian Muslims: by Jinnah!
He used 80% of the muslims to vote for a separate country: Pakistan, tainted there hands with innocent Hindu blood (Direct action day), and then left them in India !!
He did not make an effort to take them to Pakistan ! He shrugged them off ! So, Indian Muslims should get a reservation in Pakistan, as they have contributed to the creation of it. There ancestors drank the blood of innocent Hindu population for Pakistan, so they should have a share in the result of violence and hatred (Pakistan).
If Pakistan does not offer any reservation to Indian Muslims, it will be the biggest betrayal in Human History.
Ajay Yadav : Chandragupta Maurya was NOT a Hindu. And., Shivaji was not a “Kshatriya”, but a low-caste. Go to Pune., read 200 books., and come back with fresh thoughts. Your thoughts border on cynidal-fantasia. Remember this : You wish to inject cyanide into the water-supply/stream and subjugate a whole people ! Shame on you. Muslims ruled India for 700 years., and yet., The Economy (Dammit) always., remained in Hindu Hands., all those 700 years. Go and read 200 books on this subject : “India’s economy during 700 years of rule by kings having Muslim names”. And then come back with fresh thoughts.
After reading your post, i realised the kind of personality hatred (manufactured hatred and false history) can do to a person. YOU have become totally perverted and your case is not based on facts, but hatred.
Hate… but with some “reason”.
Good and bad people exist everywhere, but in my opinion Muslims of subcontinent have always lacked the visionary leaders who have reaped the benefits of short term planning and in the long run Muslim community has suffered.
Partition brought blood spill on both side, Hindus killed Muslims and vice versa but one should not forget that just few years back Muslims residing in Gujrat were massacred, so at large Muslims do remain unsafe. India the so-called largest democracy in the world lacks courage to face the reality and give right of self-determination to Kashmiries, more then 400,000 troops remains deployed there.
The point is that both sides need to respect and understand each others perspective rather a larger community imposing its hegemony on others.
Indian Muslims are safer in India., than Pakistani Muslims are in Pakistan ! Period. Inspite of Mumbai genocide 1992., inspite of Gujarat genocide 2002. (and from 1947-2010, there have been thousands of riots where muslims were at the receiving ends. there are 2050 Commissions of Enquiry(ies) Reports gathering dust – and yet – not 1 (one) conviction. Mob violence/rape and mob-killing is part of indian ethos. They are afraid to do it single-handedly, so they satisfy their carnal desires in groups (mobs). Pls. read a few books on MOB PSYCHOLOGY to understand this delicate thought.
Inspite of 500,000 Indian soldiers stationed in Kashmir. Because honestly and nothing personal, i think religion can not unite a set of people. Be they muslim or be they hindu. This ghetto-mindset works for a certain period of time., b4 it collapses under its own weight.
Jawaharal Nehru was the greatest Indian and the greatest Hindu cuz he realised., that once you brought religion (and theology) in administration (worldy affairs); then ruling this country would not be possible. Administering this country would not be possible. So better a sham-democracy., or a sham-secularism. Let India be a de-facto Hindu Raj., but keep the “secular” label (de-jure). India is Hindu and Hinduism is India., fair enough., but they did not legalise this arrangement. Its a ground reality., but…
Why this duality ? It is to maintain law and order., otherwise what is happening in Paksitan today., would be happening in India. Hinduism is caste-dominated., so one hindu would be at the throat of his hindu brother. This would result in civil war 24×7. India’s history is full of this.
Iqbal had commented that Indians forgot the eternal message of Sri. Krishna (in his Gita)., for incessant work. Nishkaam Seva. Keep working… and got involved in leg-pulling and one-upmanship (caste / varana ashrama)., and this led to the downfall of India., as a civilisation.
There is no Harm., even if Hindu Raj (or Ram Rajya) had been declared in Un-Divided or United India. Why should Muslims Fear… Pakistan was created for protecting Muslim culture, urdu, and muslim economy. Where is the Muslim culture in Pakistan today / Where is “Urdu” (the orphan) in Pakistan today ? and what is the economic condition of an average muslim in Pakistan today ? Is he any better than his subjugated and enslaved Indian brother (and forget the 170 million or 17 crore bengali muslim brothers., cuz they are DARK (Kala). Is this the mindset of Muslims !
Maulana Azad was completely comfortable with Un-divided India… and even Ram Raj… or Hindu Raj… because there has to be some sense of justice… DHARMA… even in a Hindu Raj.
Why shouldnt there be a Hindu Raj in India ? If 80% of Muslims can have a Islamic State., why cant 80% Hindus (who may be divided amongst themselves., but are united as far as hatred for islam and muslims are concerned) have a Hindu Raj… not only de-fact… but even DE-JURE !
Today India is a de-facto Hindu Raj. And there should be no fear if it becomes de-jure tomorrow. Cuz even for a Hindu Raj., 24×7 hatred for Muslims and Islam would not be enough to sustain. After all the rape and killing (presume all muslims are eliminated from indian soil… some 20 crores i.e.); what then ?
What will sustain Hindu raj after all muslims are killed/raped ? You need a set of values… a vision… India would be the same as Pakistan today…
Pakistan experiment was based on a very narrow vision. It destroyed Indian muslims, and broke their strength into 3 blocks. Among the 3 blocks., allow me to say., and say this openly., the future of the Indian Muslim is the brightest, compared to his Pakistani brother., and his Bangladeshi Brother.
They have states, a flag, a national anthem., but no real progress. Pakistan does not have 100 teachers of Physics… nor does Bangladesh have so.
Krishna Menon had rightly said… that the whole of Pakistan (then united) would become a “base” for super-powers… It did become. Pakistan became a “base on rent” (Shadi khana) for super-power missions ! A country available for rent.. willing to be used as a “base”..
Does such short-term 24 hour-vision (kiraya khana.. living off rent) build a civilisation.. a country.. ?
One can say anything in its defense for the sake of prolonging the debate…but Dastagir you are right when you analyze the present situation, many apprehensions of Maulana Azad a visionary man off-course have proved right…the biggest mistake on our part remains to give-up on feudalism, extending power and economy to a certain group who have kept the large population and the whole country dependent on certain institutions, every time things get out of hand, men in khakis, the holy cows take the charge who give a temporary pain-killer or power shot in the shape of its so-called institutional discipline other then that they also lack the vision…many Pakistanis have been left muted when they make analysis of the current situation, sadly people who would come-out largely to support their point of view on partition now prefer to remain silent, for the sake of argument mistakes made by India are used to shield weaknesses that Pakistan entails within…but we still remain hopeful that miracles do happen…so just keep your fingers crossed.