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It is well known that Muslims
in India are the only minority community that
is far behind the majority community and other
minorities, except Neo-Buddhists, in many spheres
of State and Society. The reports of various
committees including the Sachhar Committee Report
clearly show that the Muslim community as a
whole can be easily identified as Backward Class
of Citizens in the country. It is established
by several studies including the reports of
various Backward Class Commissions that the
Muslims in India can be categorized as educationally,
socially and economically backward. The history
of development and democratization in the last
58 years also show their exclusion, deprivation
and backwardness. However, there is a silver
lining in the conclusion of the Sachhar Committee
Report, November 2006 (page 26) based on the
impression it received from the larger audience,
which says:
“Responsibility
of a democratic state to ensure that none of
its citizens remain backward due to discrimination
was emphasized. If factors other than discrimination
are contributing to the backwardness of any
community then too it is the responsibility
of the state for removing such backwardness”.
It
is in this context, this Status Paper is an
attempt to present the case of the Muslims along
with some theoretical formulations that not
only communal consciousness but also anti-Muslim
mindset are at work to keep them cornered in
the distribution of national resources by the
Indian State. The situation has become so much
alarming that even they are unable to get minimum
security, justice, equality and liberty which
are normally provided under the ‘common
citizenship’ category. The above constitutional
benefits are interlinked and they can be enjoyed
under required socio-economic and political
condition of the individual and community. The
Constitution directs the Indian State to create
opportunities for public life but the Muslims
are either unable or made disabled due to their
socio-economic and political conditions to avail
normal benefits provided by the governments
at many levels. Therefore, access to such benefits
requires such conditions. Moreover, such peculiar
circumstances, which are hard realities in the
life of the majority of the Muslims, obstruct
them to enjoy security, freedom, equality and
equity meant for every citizen.
It
is well understood by many that the existing
socio-economic conditions of the Muslims are
also responsible for their backwardness. This
raises valid questions:- How can their conditions
be improved? What should be the means? How should
the Muslims and their problems be identified?
Who should do what and where? Should we glorify
the polemical formal equality or should we opt
for substantive equality? In other words, backwardness
and deprivation can also be called exclusion
which is mostly the result of discrimination
based on communal consciousness. We should not
forget that the basis of discriminations against
the Dalits and the Other Backward Classes has
been caste consciousness which in other words
is the main feature of the Hindu caste system.
This
question must be addressed by those who want
to build a New India based on the principles
of pluralism, federalism and democracy. We need
to accept the fact that Muslims have been the
victims of communal ideology. Their rights have
been opposed by it throughout the years since
long. It should also be acknowledged that an
anti-Muslim sentiment is now a new addition
which discriminates against the Muslims in various
spheres. As a result, they are now the most
backward class of citizens who can be provided
with those constitutional and governmental benefits
which have been opted for the Scheduled Castes
and Other Backward Classes in the country. |
