Masood Khalid Khan
Since its independence, India’s democracy has undergone significant transformations. From the “conservative democracy” of the Gandhi/Nehru era, it transitioned to a more inclusive form post-Mandal, culminating in the current “ethnic democracy” dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This shift has unfortunately led to the marginalization of Indian Muslims across various sectors.
Institutional Exclusion:
Representation of Muslims in key institutions remains disproportionately low. In the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service, their numbers stand at a mere 4-5% and 2-2.5% respectively, despite forming 14.5% of the population. The judiciary paints a similar picture, with only one or two Muslims among the 30 Supreme Court justices. Additionally, Muslim presence in the military has declined from a third at partition to a mere 2% today.
Economic Disparity:
The economic disparity between Muslims and other communities is stark. Muslims hold a meager 9.5% of India’s wealth, compared to 36% controlled by Hindu upper castes, despite forming a much larger population. This exclusion is further reflected in their lack of participation in the “salariat” class, primarily consisting of self-employed individuals and casual laborers.
Educational Disadvantages:
Education access also presents a major challenge for Indian Muslims. The percentage of graduates among Muslims significantly lags behind other communities. In Kerala, for example, the graduate rate among Hindu upper castes is 22% compared to just 4% for Muslims. This lack of access to education further hinders their upward mobility.
Urdu’s Decline:
Urdu, the language historically associated with Indian Muslims, is experiencing a decline. Only half of the Muslims in its traditional home state, Uttar Pradesh, can speak and read it. Urdu has ironically found greater acceptance in the South (due to Hyderabad) and West Bengal (due to political pandering).
Limited Hope:
The future of Indian Muslims appears bleak. Relocation to the South, a suggestion by some, seems impractical. Improved India-Pakistan relations, while theoretically beneficial, are unlikely in the face of rising Hindutva nationalism.
International Concerns:
The international community, particularly the West, remains largely silent on the plight of Indian Muslims due to India’s strategic importance as a counterbalance to China. This Islamophobic hypocrisy deserves condemnation.
Pakistan’s Role:
Pakistan, despite its own human rights record, has expressed concerns about the treatment of minorities in India. However, this concern lacks credibility until Pakistan addresses its own issues with minority rights.
Honest Assessment Needed:
Instead of engaging in self-indulgent discussions about India’s minority rights, Pakistan needs to honestly assess its own record through dialogue with religious and ethnic minorities, political parties, and human rights organizations. Only through genuine introspection and self-improvement can Pakistan effectively advocate for the rights of minorities both at home and abroad.
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The plight of Muslims in India is a complex and multifaceted issue that cannot be easily summarized in a few paragraphs. However, based on the web search results, I will try to provide some information on the challenges and difficulties that Muslims face in various aspects of their lives.
Constitutional rights: Muslims in India enjoy the same fundamental rights as other citizens under the Constitution of India, such as the right to equality, freedom, religion, expression, education, etc. However, these rights are often violated or denied by the state or non-state actors who target Muslims for their identity or beliefs. For example, Muslims have been subjected to hate speech, communal violence, lynching, mob attacks, police brutality, arbitrary arrests and detention, denial of citizenship and voting rights, etc
Political representation: Muslims in India have historically been underrepresented in the political sphere due to various factors such as poverty, illiteracy, discrimination and marginalization. According to the 2011 census data, Muslims constitute about 14% of India’s population but only 14% of its elected representatives at the national and state levels. Moreover, Muslims face barriers to contest elections due to restrictive laws such as the Representation of People Act (RPA) that require them to renounce their religion if they want to contest from a Muslim-dominated constituency.
Social integration: Muslims in India have diverse cultural and religious backgrounds that reflect their migration history and regional diversity. However, they also face challenges in integrating into the mainstream society due to stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination. For instance, some Hindu groups view Muslims as outsiders or invaders who threaten their identity or culture. Some Muslim groups also face internal divisions along sectarian lines such as Sunni-Shia or Deobandi-Barelvi that create conflicts and tensions within their community. Additionally, some Muslim women face issues such as triple talaq (instant divorce), honour killings (killing of a woman for bringing shame to her family), forced conversions (marriage or conversion by coercion), etc
Economic development: Muslims in India are among the poorest and most disadvantaged sections of society who suffer from low income levels, high unemployment rates (especially among youth), lack of access to basic services such as health care and education (especially girls), etc. According to a report by Oxfam India in 2019-20 , about 31% of Muslims live below the poverty line , close to the 35% for Dalits (untouchables) and Adivasis (indigenous people). Moreover , Muslim income is falling: it was 77.5% of average Hindu earning in 1987 compared to 75% in 1999 .
Some of the factors that contribute to this economic decline are lack of financial inclusion , lack of skill development , lack of entrepreneurship opportunities , lack of social security , etc
Religious freedom: Muslims in India have a right to practice their religion freely according to their personal beliefs and conscience . However , they also face restrictions on their religious expression due to laws such as Section 295A (defamation) , Section 298 (uttering words with deliberate intent) , Section 505A (statements conducing public mischief) , etc . These laws are often misused by Hindu groups or individuals who accuse Muslims of hurting their sentiments or provoking communal disharmony . For example , some Hindu groups have filed cases against Muslim leaders or organizations for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments by using derogatory terms for Lord Ram or cow . These cases often result in harassment , intimidation , defamation lawsuits , loss of reputation , etc.
Fundamental rights: The plight of Muslims in India is not only limited to constitutional rights but also extends to fundamental rights that are essential for human dignity and well-being . These include rights such as life , liberty , security , privacy , health care , education , social justice , etc . However , these rights are often violated or denied by various actors who target Muslims for their identity or beliefs . For example , some Muslim women face issues such as domestic violence (physical abuse by husband or family members) sexual violence (rape or sexual harassment by strangers) forced marriage (marriage without consent) female foeticide (termination of pregnancy based on gender preference) child marriage (marriage before puberty) honour killing (killing of a woman for bringing shame to her family) etc . These issues affect not only individual lives but also collective health outcomes such as maternal mortality rate infant mortality rate HIV/AIDS prevalence etc.
These are some of the major aspects that illustrate the plight of Muslims in India . However there are many more dimensions that need attention and action from all stakeholders including government civil society media academia religious leaders human rights activists etc . The plight of Muslims is not only a matter of justice but also a matter of human values and dignity.
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