[Reader-list] Gujarat's secular development

[ohm at zedat.fu-berlin.de]

Singapore is also a well-working state. But it's not a democracy.

>
> 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
>
>
>
>
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