August 28, 2007 by Manas
(There aren’t many people reading this blog these days (am I becoming senile?) Those who have stuck around, please help discuss this very important issue.)
Muslims in India are very poorly represented in the upper part of the ladder of education and the upper niche of the societies due to many internal and external reasons.
Question is: what must be done to solve it and how?
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Elsewhere (Ijtema) Elsewhere (Brass Crescent)
have u read sachar committee report… it would answer a lot of ur questions
I have not read the full report. Do you have an e-copy?
Yours i think is one of the most popular blog i encountered so far so proberly this lull is just temporary!
As far as answer to your question, you can answer this one better than me!
P.S Plz update report if you find an e-copy of it
http://www.milligazette.com/dailyupdate/2006/200612013_download_Sachar_Committee_Report_Indian_Muslims_status.htm
http://signal.nationalinterest.in/archives/madhu/63
i read that report in epw long back.. but i cannot find a soft link there… but will search
I found the whole Sachar committee report. It’s a 400 page report and 7MB PDF. If anyone is interested, I can email it to them.
Lubz:
Thanks for saying that!
But answer I don’t really know, and it sure isn’t an easy answer. Please share some ideas if you have thought about it. You can even write a blog post about it.
When I look at what the Indian Muslims are going through I thank God, Quaid-e- Azam and my dad(for coming to Pakistan).
Pakistan is no heaven; I am aware of that. But its a Muslim country and nobody looks down on me when some sand monkey (Osama) decides to become GOD’s warrior and kill the innocents.
You are educated and talented and I am sure there are more reasonable people out there like you that can fight for their rights. So stand up, don’t be ashamed of your religion, clean your mosques from the extremists and try to be a better citizen of the country you live in so that nobody can point a finger on you or your community.
Sorry, I can’t comment on that since I don’t live there, but it’s heartening to know that there are people (like you) who notice and acknowledge that there is a lack of representation of a particular community (yours?) in certain professions. That in itself is the first step toward resolving the problem; accepting that a problem exists.
Keep up the good work.
aMmar,
Pakistan is lucky to have you, and no one could have advised Manas better: “You are educated and talented and I am sure there are more reasonable people out there like you that can fight for their rights. So stand up, don’t be ashamed of your religion, clean your mosques from the extremists and try to be a better citizen of the country you live in so that nobody can point a finger on you or your community. “
@Ammar…
if u ignore the minor differences … people on the both sides of the border r the same
I think this is a good article, the North-South difference seems to make a lot of sense.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6938090.stm
@ I Me My
Thanks for the compliment but I wish I could be more useful to my country in the future.
@ Ankur
True, there could be minor differences between you and me but as a nation we are way to different we have our own ethical and moral values and interests to serve. If there were more reasonable people like you or Pr3rna partition would not have taken place but it has because your kind is very few in numbers.
India might claim itself to be a secular country but it always have put the Hindu interests and culture first. There is nothing wrong in that because it is a Hindu majority (democratic) country and in democracy; the majority rules.
That is a good question (and important!), Manas.
Hello Manas:
thanks for raising such interesting questions -
I don’t live in India, nor am I an Indian. However, as Ammar said there is a need for the educated Muslims to raise their voice and not be content with themselves for doing well.
Sadia Dehlvi has been arguing for attention to Muslims. Here is an article by her on my blog:
I am copying a few lines here:
“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…. “
Sorry that I forgot to mention the link to Sadia D’s article in the my comment above. Here it is:
http://www.razarumi.com/2007/01/05/indian-muslims-a-story-of-betrayal/
aMmAr
———-
You are kind with your words, but I am really at a loss.
The biggest issue- internal problems, not the external ones. The Muslim clerics are inherently biased against education. They discourage a lot of poor people from getting educated.
On the other hand, the minuscule educated Muslims are detached. The ulema do not consider their opinions as legitimate. The middle class is indifferent towards others in the community. The lack of communication is mutual.
If you start a support program, even in a Muslim majority area, invariably the Hindu (upper caste) will be the beneficiary. If you aim it specifically at Muslims, you are communal.
The Ulema is ready to take you seriously as long as you are ready to follow them. Even if you may know more Islam than them, if you dare challenge them, be ready to face extreme boorishness.
The uneducated think the Ulema is right about Islam because he carries a beard!
It’s a mess. Please suggest me something. Allah says there is barakah in shura. I hope something will come out here, God Willing.
I Me My
———-
Most people do accept the problem. But the solution the Ulema suggest are painful. How are the educated to become legitimate leaders of the community?
Ankur
———
Culturally we are very similar with the Pakistanis, indeed.
aMmAr
———
I agree that the ideals of Muslims are different. But look at the ground. The same corruption, same everything. The ground reality is very different. And on a coarser scale, things are looking better in India than in Pakistan. Research and Development in India has really skyrocketed in India recently. Pakistan is nowhere near us.
gess
——–
Thanks sister. I hope by reading about the problems, you might remember a similar situation where solution was found or come up with a solution!
Raza
——–
Thanks for the link. The article requires careful analysis. In a nutshell, I do not see reservation solving our problem, unless the drive for education comes from within.
We must be ready to participation with the readiness to give what it takes. Not by reserved seats. Reservation, for example, will not improve the poor status of Muslims in journalism- a mainly private enterprise. It will not, because it has not for the low casts. For lower casts, media has largely been indifferent. If Muslims do get reservation, they’ll be targeted.
a tricky problem and i wouldn’t even know where to begin when coming up with a solution. i jsut thought i’d let you know i was reading though!
It is not about Hindus and muslims and the difference between the two. It is about politicians taking both the communities for a ride. There was a huge divide between Sikhs and Hindus in the 80’s people have forgotten all that terrorism and bitterness. We need political will.
You tell me the difference. Do you even think about President Kalam, Shahrukh Khan, Javed Akhtar, Muzaffar Ali, Aziz Premji and so many others as Muslims or Hindus. If you talking about idol worship, Arya Samaji Hindus are as much against idol worship as Muslims. About eating beef and pork for the vegetarians both are the same. Basic principles of Hinduism say that there can be more ways than one for reaching God. I am told that in Islam, Christ is one of the Prophets so that very much takes care of that difference. It is the vote bank politicians who are dividing us. All of us have the same basic needs- education, employment, security. If we educate ourselves and don’t let vested intersts take advantage of us nobody can stop us. The problem is not religion it is about awareness.
I was talking to one of my friends about Amir Khusro, Nizammudin, and Dargahs and Sufi Islam , she asked me what has a Dargah to do with Islam. People from all religions visit Dargahs. I have visited so many Dargahs myself.
Whatever way I pray inside my house is my business. As Indians we are same.
hema
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Thanks for the visit.
Aunty
——–
Thank you for the good words. But Aunty, the reality is Muslims are backward.
If that can be undone this animosity will certainly go.
I know Manas Muslims are lagging behind and they need upliftment. One thing I am sure of is these politicians cannot and will not help them. It doesn’t suit their interests. I don’t like the word animosity. If a major part of India is backward then we can’t dream of becoming a economic superpower. Moderates like you have to do something. Don’t let the fanatics divide us. It suited the Britishers, now it suits the politicians. We drove away the Britishers ,we can dump the vested intersts too.
Aunty
You know, aunty, I don’t like it too; unfortunately it is a reality that there still is a good much animosity between the Hindus and the Muslims.
You and many others from both communities harbor no animosity. But many do. You know that it is difficult to discern that I am Muslim from my first name. I have had the experience of being told about the evils of Islam and Muslim many a times.
That’s interesting that ‘it is difficult to discern that I am Muslim from my first name’! So ‘Manas’ (presuming that’s your first name) is a name that transcends religious ethnicities? How did you come upon this name, if that isn’t too personal a question to ask…
Id has raised a god question..
Manas, it is education, vocactional training, equitable integration into the national economy and above all educated, secular Muslim leadership. The Imams of Delhi, Hyderabad and Lucknow will not do..:(
There are so many names which are common in both religions- Iqbal Malik, Roshni Chowdhry, Seema and many more. Bangla names are common in all religions Other than the religious words names depend on the language not the religion.
IMeMy
It just happened. Sort of accidental. Most people’s names or surnames do carry their religious identities.
There are some names that are used by people of both religions. They are relatively less in number.
Raza
I concur. I think I will need help of some people, who think thus, to move things forward. The general scheme of things will unfold as we, God Willing, go along.
Aunty
There are really many names common in both religious communities as you have mentioned, but most of the times, the names clearly indicate religion.
That isn’t bad, as long as it doesn’t lead to fights.
Moreover, it saves people from the torment of hearing advices against their own beliefs from unsuspecting bigots.
Its thanks to the Mullahs like these that Turkey is a secular country today. Mullahs of the subcontinent apposed the creation of Pakistan and called Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah a secular and kafir. But if we will listen to those bastards then we are not going to prosper at all.
The answer to every solution is money. People like you; who really want to do something can only make a difference if they are educated and rich enough. Be disciplined, filthy rich and powerful. You can fix the devils in beards then. But as far as you are just a common man your word will be of no worth.
Ghee teri unglee se he nikalta hai
aMmAr
yes, I agree money is very important, if it can be used properly.
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