[Reader-list] NO CAVILING AT GUJARAT'S HARD FACTS

[anupam chakravartty]

Bipin,

I have a few questions for you: When was the Sachar committee report filed?
Was there any such committee before Sachar to assess the condition of one
particular community as mentioned in your post? Do you think a comparative
analysis is required in ascertaining the conditions prevalent in the
community now and then?

thanks anupam

On Wed, May 26, 2010 at 3:30 PM, Bipin Trivedi <aliens at dataone.in> wrote:

> To an editorial published in the Indian Express on May 22 titled "
> <http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hard-facts-to-face/622193/> Hard facts
> to
> face" the Gujarat Government had sent a letter in response stating the
> factual position regarding the status of Muslim in Gujarat.
> <http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hard-facts/623677/0> A part of the
> letter
> was published in the Indian Express dated May 26, 2010. The complete
> version
> of the letter that was sent to the Editor Indian Express is enclosed
> herewith so that you will be conversant with the real hard facts.
>
>
>
> Refer link: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hard-facts-to-face/622193/0
>
>
> No caviling at Gujarat's hard facts
>
> How do Muslims fare in Gujarat? They fare much better compared to other
> states. The objective study by the Prime Minister's high-level committee
> headed by Justice Rajendra Sachar, appointed by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan
> Singh in 2006, indicates that Muslims in Gujarat perform and fare much
> better when compared with other states in several key indicators such as
> education, employment, income and access to critical infrastructure. The
> editorial in the Indian Express dated May 22, 2010 is mostly based on
> perceptions and anecdotal evidences rather than hard facts. However the
> facts below speak for themselves.
>
> In trying to make out a case for Muslim children being given a raw deal in
> primary and upper primary school enrolment facts that has placed Muslims in
> Gujarat on the top of literacy ladder have been totally ignored. According
> to Sachar committee report the percentage of literacy of Muslims in Gujarat
> is 73.5 per cent, the highest in India. It is pertinent to note that this
> is
> much higher than that of national average of 59.1 per cent and also the
> percentage of literacy of Hindus in Gujarat which is 68.3 per cent. Even
> Muslim women in urban areas of Gujarat have average literacy rate 5 points
> higher than the national average and rural Muslim women are far much better
> with their literacy rate of 57 per cent as compared to the national average
> of 43 per cent. If Muslim children are not provided education how can
> Muslims in Gujarat attain the highest literacy rate in the country?
>
> During 2009-10 the enrolment of Muslim children has been 6.45 per cent (as
> against 4.7 per cent reported). It should be kept mind that this percentage
> excludes the enrolment in Madarsas and also some of the private schools
> which do not provide segregated data. The very fact that Muslims in Gujarat
> have the highest literacy rate in the country proves that they have access
> to education much better than in other states. If you look at Muslim
> education attainment those who have passed the primary stage are 74.9 per
> cent way ahead of the national average 60.9 per cent. In the category of
> those who passed secondary education Gujarat at 45.3 is ahead of the
> national average of 40.5 per cent. Even in the category of those who have
> passed higher secondary level Gujarat with 26.1 per cent is ahead of the
> national average of 23.9 per cent. In the average years of secondary
> schooling provided between the age group of 7-16 once again Gujarat with
> 4.29 per cent is ahead of the nationa Your reference to Juhapura area of
> Ahmedabad lacking schools due to "gradual disentitlement and ghettoisation
> of Gujarat's Muslims" is specious to the say the least as the facts prove
> otherwise. There are eight high schools out of which three are
> government-aided schools. In Juhapura and surrounding areas there are 13
> municipal primary schools funded by the state government and also 15
> private
> schools. Far from being ghettoized there is ample opportunity for the
> Muslim
> children to enroll themselves.
>
> Secondly it has become a knee-jerk habit of secularists to pooh-pooh the
> good governance of the state of Gujarat. And as to your question if "his
> fabled governance genius translate into a better life for those his
> politics
> rejects?" the answer is clearly in the Sachar report which has called the
> bluff of those who have tried to besmirch Gujarat.
>
> In the very social sectors which your editorial cites as the indicator of
> percolation of development to the minorities, Sachar Committee report
> reveals the performance of Gujarat is far better than many other states.
> The
> document also reveals Gujarat is far ahead in terms of providing education
> facilities and health facilities. If we take the case availability of
> schools in villages where there is Muslim population Gujarat is far ahead
> of
> the national average. In the category of villages with population of
> Muslims
> more than 2000 all the villages have education facility as against 98.7 per
> cent national average. In the category of 1000 to 2000 population, 99.9 per
> cent villages have education facilities as against the national average of
> 95.4 per cent. In the category of less than 1000 population 98.6 per cent
> of
> the villages have education facility as against the national average of
> 80.4
> per cent.
>
> When we consider the availability of medical facilities in villages, where
> Muslim population is more 2000, 89.9 per cent of the villages have medical
> facilities as against the national average of 70.7 per cent. In the
> category
> of 1000-2000 population, 66.67 per cent of villages have medical facilities
> against the national average of 43.5 per cent. In the category of villages
> less than 1000 population, 53 per cent of the villages have medical
> facilities as against the national average of 20.2 per cent.
>
> Even in the case of other indicators such as road connectivity,
> availability
> of pucca approach road etc Gujarat is far ahead of national average and
> many
> other states. Even on per month per capita income of Muslims is more than
> the Hindus of Gujarat in rural areas. For Muslims it stands at Rs 668
> compared to Rs 644 for Hindus (SCs Rs 527 and OBCs Rs 594). This is much
> higher than many other states for example Andhra Pradesh (Rs 610); West
> Bengal (Rs 501); UP (Rs 509); Karnataka (Rs 532); MP (Rs 475) . The per
> capita income of Muslims in urban areas is also higher than the national
> average and many other states. (see Sachar report). The prosperity of
> Muslims in Gujarat when compared with other states is reflected in terms of
> the bank account wise average deposit. For instance Gujarat it is Rs 32,932
> compared to West Bengal Rs 13, 824, Assam Rs 26,319 to cite a few examples.
>
> If you take the employment of Muslims in critical departments of government
> such as home department, state transport dept and even in public sectors
> the
> percentage of Muslims occupying high posts is higher in Gujarat when
> compared with other States. Just to cite an example in Gujarat where the
> percentage of Muslims is 9.1 the proportion of Muslims in high posts is 8.5
> per cent whereas in West Bengal where the Muslim population is 25.2 per
> cent
> the proportion of Muslims is merely 1.2 per cent.
>
> To discuss on each and every parameter to establish that Muslims fare far
> better in Gujarat is neither required nor possible to enumerate in a
> letter.
> Your editorial mentions that Modi should be open to verification of his
> claims of inclusive development. The above mentioned facts clearly
> demonstrate that better governance in Gujarat has been translated into a
> better life for all the people in Gujarat, including the minorities. Your
> editorial recommends open verification of the claims. The high-powered
> committee appointed by the Prime Minister has to a great extent not only
> verified the claims but also clearly established that these claims are
> true.
>
>
>
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