[Reader-list] Gujarat's secular development

[Bipin Trivedi]

The Sachar Committee report indirectly challenges other states to emulate Gujarat chief minister's policy of secular development and ‘nationalise' it
By Pravin Sheth 

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/59/20100527201005270359478766a84c375/Gujarat%E2%80%99s-secular-development.html

In setting up the Sachar Committee, the UPA government had its own objectives. Contrary to the expectations of Chief Minister Narendra Modi's critics, the committee's comparative statewise statistics of parameters like education, employment and income of the Muslim population living in the country proves Gujarat is far ahead of other states, even those ruled by so-called secular parties.

In terms of literacy, Muslims in Gujarat stood at 73.5% as compared to the national average of 59.1. The figure for urban males is 76, and 81 for those in rural areas as compared to the national average of 70 and 62 respectively in similar categories. 

The average literacy rate of Muslim women in urban Gujarat is five points higher than the national average, whereas those in rural Gujarat fare even better with a literacy rate of 57 per cent as compared to the national average of 43.

A greater percentage of Muslims here have attained primary, secondary and higher-secondary level education. The national average is 60.9%. Muslim children in Gujarat are benefiting from equal opportunities to access secondary schooling as other children.

Take other aspect of economic well-being of Muslims in Gujarat. Here also, the Sachar Committee dispels the myth. 

The report counters the propaganda that injustice is being done to the Muslim community in Gujarat


The per month per capita income of Muslims in urban Gujarat is an average Rs 875 — more than the national average of Rs 804. In contrast, it is Rs 662 in UP, Rs 748 in West Bengal, Rs 811 in Punjab, Rs 803 in Andhra Pradesh and Rs 837 in Karnataka.

In rural Gujarat, the per capita monthly income of Muslims is 20-25% more than the Muslims living in rural areas of most other states. On an average, it comes to Rs 668 compared to the national average of Rs 553.

In terms of Muslims living below poverty line, Gujarat improved from 54% in 1987-88 to 34% in 2004-2005, showing a healthy pace of improvement. Even in terms of share of Muslims in state employment, it is 5.4% in Gujarat while it is 2.1% in West Bengal, 3.2% in Delhi and 4.4% in Maharashtra.

Overall, the total picture counters the propaganda that injustice is being done to Muslims in Gujarat. The Sachar Committee on educational condition clearly shows that the Muslims of Gujarat are progressing well in the field of education and economic well-being. They are well cared for. The facts on their economic conditions dispel similar myths about their being discriminated against or being denied equal opportunity. 

The fact is echoed by the Imam of Jama Masjid in Ahmedabad, who reportedly commented sometime back "Muslims have an opportunity to prosper in the peaceful environment that the Modi government has created. Modi has provided an atmosphere which is conducive for those who want to trade peacefully in Gujarat".

The Sachar report indirectly challenges other states to emulate Modi's policy of secular development and ‘nationalise' it. 

Ironically, vociferous secularists are silent regarding the findings. They continue to focus on Modi-1 as branded during the 2002 carnage and Sohrabuddin encounter — a chief minister habitually noted to dishonour the rule of law, a friend of corporate magnets to the detriment of villagers and SEZ-affected disadvantaged.

However, there is popularly a more accepted Modi-2 — a dynamic CM realising the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, the Special Investment Regions, port-based development, ‘Hopenhagen', BRTS, GDP, and much more.

But the two Modis fail to merge as some anti-Modi ideologues refuse to discern the significant transformation in his leadership.

Can Modi, hubris-free, demonstrate his transformation to abridge this perception-reality gap?

Source Link: http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/59/20100527201005270359478766a84c375/Gujarat%E2%80%99s-secular-development.html