Has the Indian growth story missed the Muslim minorities?
By J Aslam Basha
Though India can rightfully be proud that a massive 170 million people have been uplifted from poverty since 1990, it has been found by researchers from the Dartmouth College and MIT that those from the most vulnerable sections have lagged behind for various reasons.
Some people attribute this skew to the fact that the Muslim minorities were not able to take as much advantage of affirmative action as their brethren from the SC and ST communities could.
Further, the India Person Advancement Study and the 2012 Socioeconomic and Caste Census, couldn’t ascertain upward mobility for women in the most vulnerable sections.
Previous studies have revealed that the Muslim community has the lowest rate of registration in colleges in India, representing a meager 4.4 percent. Studies have also revealed that 25% of India’s 370,000 mendicants are Muslim.
The Sachar Committee submitted a report under the UPA government in 2006 and it found that Muslims have been frequent targets of discrimination and violence. The Committee recommended measures to ensure a level-playing field for the Indian Muslims.
The Congress party, which led the UPA coalition, is committed to ensure that there is not just equality, but also equity amongst the many communities in India. The Congress, when it returns to power in 2019 shall continue the work of uplifting the vulnerable sections of society. Let’s put an end to the fascist forces in our society and bring back inclusive development, harmony and progress.
Bio:
Dr. J. Aslam Basha is Chairman, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee Minority Department.
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