By
Md. Zeyaul Haque, Special to IslamOnline
NEW
DELHI, September 23 (IslamOnline) - Indian Muslims are in greater
economic distress than Hindus, according to the National Sample Survey
Organization (NSSO), an autonomous body under the Federal Ministry of
Statistics and Program Implementation.
The
findings of the 55th round of nationwide economic survey announced last
week showed that Muslims constituted many more absolute poor both in
rural and urban areas.
Twenty-nine
percent of rural Muslims were among the people with lowest consumption
expenditure per member of family every month. This is the lowest
consumption expenditure group with per head Rs 300 ($6) expense per
month. People in this class constitute only 26 percent of the rural
Hindu population.
The
gap is much wider in urban areas where 40 percent of Muslims belong to
the bottom 20 percent, while only 22 percent of Hindus belong to this
class. The difference here is nearly double, which means there are
nearly twice as many poor among Muslims as among Hindus in towns and
cities.
Muslims
with regular salaried jobs in towns and cities too represent a much
smaller ratio of their population compared to Hindus. Only 27 percent of
Muslim households have a working member with a regular salaried job,
compared to 43 percent among Hindus.
Salaried
jobs are the preferred economic engagement in India because they provide
a regular, steady income.
Land
holding in rural areas is a major indicator of economic status and
social position. Here too, Muslims are at a severe disadvantage. While
only 40 percent of Hindu households constitute the class with little or
no ownership of land, Muslims in this class constitute 51 percent of
their population.
Unemployment
too is higher among Muslims, both in the countryside and in urban areas.
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Indian
Muslim women walking in a Bhopal street
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Illiteracy
also is higher among Muslims, both in urban and rural areas. In the
rural areas 48 percent of Muslims cannot read or write, though only 44
percent Hindus come under that category. In towns and cities, 30 percent
of Muslims are in that category as opposed to only 19 percent of Hindus.
The
NSSO findings are used by government for deciding economic plan
priorities. According to some estimates, the gap between the Hindus and
Muslims has grown wider over the last decade of the 20th century.
The
poor performance of Muslims on all indicators - consumption, education,
employment and land-holding is a cause of concern. Although there are
findings from major non-governmental institutions like the prestigious
National Council for Applied Economic Research, a Delhi-based think
tank, that is less depressing, NSSO findings are by and large reliable.
However,
fascist Hindu organizations keep harping on a myth called
"appeasement", claiming that Indian Muslims are more
privileged in India than Hindus.
