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

[anupam chakravartty]

Pawan,

An idol was desecrated just like temples were brought down in Gandhinagar
and Mazars was razed in Karjan in Vadodara district, graves razed in Dahod,
just like a Swami murdered in Vadtal at the swaminarayan temple. actually
you know what, the God in that idol was killed long ago by their own
believers. Didnt you know that Pawan? Pity that you are so blissfully
unaware about it and feign some kind of innocence in initiating a discussion
on communal rioting in Shahpur. That riots have become institutionalized in
Gujarat and people place bets on them is a known fact as demonstrated by the
arrest of Vadodara bookie, Arvind Valand last year where he confessed. for
all you know, your discussion about this particular might be bringing more
cash for the bookies.

Instead you could address some of the questions i have put up for Bipin.

anupam

On Wed, May 26, 2010 at 4:56 PM, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com>wrote:

> Any idea of recent communal riot in Shahpur , Ahmedabad....I dont see
> anyone discussing that.
>
> pawan
>
>
> On Wed, May 26, 2010 at 4:43 PM, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> 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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