[Reader-list] India state-run banks 'turn away Muslims': BBC

Tue Jul 27 05:53:43 IST 2010

Javed. Your point is well taken. There is profiling and Muslims are 
discriminated against and communal profiling in a lot of instances is a 
reality. But you don't have to be a Muslim to be treated as such. North 
Eastern people, Biharis, Tamilians, Jats, Gujjars, Kashmiris all have their 
true stories of discrimination to tell. But the emails you forward make it 
look like only Muslims, all the Muslims, are being denied their basic rights 
in India. Forcing a homogenous identity on all the Muslims is wrong. Those 
who do it are no better than Sanghis whom they criticize. Such approach has 
already been proved wrong with the failed experiment of Pakistan. The emails 
you forward talk about Muslim as a homogenous community so I find your 
emails communal in nature. That the list has a history of communal emails, 
does not make you less guilty of communalizing the list.

As about your going to Pakistan, I am not sure who suggested that to you, it 
wasn't me. All I told you was that you have established with the forwarded 
emails that Muslims are not treated equally. How about forwarding some 
emails that propose a solution. Even if the solution is asking for another 
Pakistan. Pakistan is more a metaphor than a single country, like in the 
famous book "Kitne Pakistan." I also volunteered my support for any such new 
country that can guarantee that every citizen will be treated equally in 
that country.
Let's also talk about the merits of the "news" item that gave this new 
information about discrimination against Muslims. Looks like I have first 
hand experience of discrimination. But I am not considered minority so 
cannot complain to minority commission. A lot of villagers, illiterate and 
disabled people are not given bank loans, cheque books or debit card, just 
because they can't sign. The bottom line is that it all boils down to haves 
and have nots. There used to be a branch of U Co. bank in Nizamuddin. I was 
denied my first cheque book there and I still know the name of that person. 
That does not make all the Muslims culprits as 100 thousand people in Andhra 
being denied bank account facility do not make all the Muslims of India 
victims.

We have some enlightened folks on this list and elsewhere who criticize 
homogenizing of Muslims when it comes to some Muslims terrorizing, 
brutalizing, victimizing those who don't agree with them; but have no 
problem putting all Muslims in the same basket when it comes to 
discrimination. Their reasoning is flawed and their politics deplorable.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Javed" <javedmasoo at gmail.com>
To: "Rajkamal Goswami" <rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com>; "Rajendra Bhat 
Uppinangadi" <rajen786uppinangady at gmail.com>
Cc: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 6:09 AM
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] India state-run banks 'turn away Muslims': BBC

> Dear friends
> You have the right to respond in the way you all did to my mail. But I
> reiterate that by sending this report I do not wish to offend Hindus
> (and why should they - its not about them). Profiling of Muslims in
> different institutions is a fact which you cannot deny. If you don't
> believe BBC, please take a look at this report from India Today:
>
> Muslims face bank profiling barrier (Maneesh Pandey, India Today)
> http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/106106/India/muslims-face-bank-profiling-barrier.html
>
> A very close freind of mine (a Muslim) who is rich and not illitrate,
> got a bank loan some years ago since he was working in an MNC. Later
> on he left the job and started his own business. But his residential
> address is a Muslim-dominated area of Delhi. The same bank which gave
> him a loan years ago, now refuses to give him a credit card and other
> services. They don't give any reason, but sheepishly tell him that
> there are some "technical" problems. In fact many other companies have
> refused credit card to him because of that particualr address. There
> are many stories like that. And I agree that banks can refuse you
> services if you don't have the proper ID documents. But what about if
> you do have all the papers and yet they refuse.
>
> And for someone who made a suggestion for me: I am sorry but I do not
> wish to go to Pakistan. This is my country and I have the right to
> fight for my rights. If you have a problem with my mails, please
> delete them whenever you see my name.
>
> thanks
>
> Javed
>
> On Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 10:57 AM, Rajkamal Goswami
> <rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I think Javed & co. should be banned from this group. He is just
>> indulging circulating news that essentially leads to a heated
>> argument. Its diluting the utility of this group.
>>
>> On 7/26/10, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> how convenient is this line of reasoning:
>>>
>>> filmstars, who are incidentally muslim, do not have trouble in opening a
>>> bank account because they are making billions. therefore, any muslim 
>>> should
>>> not have trouble in opening an account. therefore, if someone is citing 
>>> a
>>> report about muslims having difficulties to open a bank because of the 
>>> bank
>>> officials, according to the reasons offered by Mr Taraprakash, are 
>>> actually
>>> creating a 'Pakistan' here.
>>>
>>> Mr, Taraprakash, this kind of reasoning would surely make us one of the 
>>> most
>>> powerful nations of the world. wouldn't it?
>>>
>>> Can anyone explain why even nationalised bank executives are asked to 
>>> line
>>> up on the doors of the victims who get relief from the government?
>>>
>>> regards
>>> Anupam
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 2:21 AM, TaraPrakash <taraprakash at gmail.com> 
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I didn't know a poor Indian who is not a muslim is invited, offered
>>>> breakfast and tea along with an easy account. I wonder what religion 
>>>> are
>>>> the
>>>> bollywood Khans who make billions. Do they have trouble opening bank
>>>> accounts?
>>>>
>>>> It's high time Javed, you start forwarding emails asking for one more
>>>> Pakistan. I will be with those who ask for a new country as long as 
>>>> they
>>>> promise that every Muslim will be treated equally in that country.
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Javed" <javedmasoo at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2010 6:58 AM
>>>> Subject: [Reader-list] India state-run banks 'turn away Muslims': BBC
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> India state-run banks 'turn away Muslims'
>>>>> By Sanjoy Majumder BBC News, Delhi
>>>>>
>>>>> State-owned banks in India have been accused of discriminating against
>>>>> the country's Muslim minority.
>>>>>
>>>>> India's minorities watchdog has received a record number of complaints
>>>>> from Muslims who say they have been prevented from opening bank
>>>>> accounts.
>>>>>
>>>>> India's Muslim community is among the poorest in the country.
>>>>>
>>>>> Some bankers say it is not so much their religious background, but
>>>>> their economic status that makes it hard for Muslims to get banking
>>>>> facilities.
>>>>>
>>>>> The National Commission of Minorities says that there has been a 100%
>>>>> increase in the number of complaints it has received over the past
>>>>> year from Muslims who say they are being prevented from opening
>>>>> accounts in state-run banks.
>>>>>
>>>>> Reports say the worst case took place in the southern state of Andhra
>>>>> Pradesh, where some 90,000 Muslim students were unable to open
>>>>> accounts to deposit scholarship cheques given to them by the
>>>>> government.
>>>>>
>>>>> Official reports frequently put Muslims at the bottom of India's
>>>>> social and economic ladder - even beneath than low-caste Hindus.
>>>>>
>>>>> Their economic status means they are often excluded by private banks,
>>>>> which prefer more well-to-do clients.
>>>>>
>>>>> Already a number of reports have suggested that India's Muslims fare
>>>>> poorly when it comes to getting access to quality education or
>>>>> employment opportunities.
>>>>>
>>>>> This latest finding will add more pressure on a government which is
>>>>> seen as doing very little for the country's largest minority group.
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10718243
>>>>> _________________________________________
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>>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Rajkamal Goswami
>> PhD Student
>> Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)
>> Royal Enclave, Sri Ramapura, Jakkur P.O.
>> Bangalore 560 064 Karnataka, India.
>> Phone: 080-23635555,
>> Mobile: 09740362460
>> Fax: 91 80 2353 0070
>>
>> Web: www.atree.org
>>
>> “To be in good moral condition requires at least as much training as
>> to be in good physical condition.”
>> _________________________________________
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> _________________________________________
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