IAN Lockwood's article "The journey is the destination", backed by excellent black and white photographs of the forest shrine of Sabarimala, the abode of Lord Ayyappa, made interesting reading (December 15). The article not only provided insights into the arduous journey of pilgrims from the Pamba base to the main temple via Vavar Swamy's shrine, but also recounted the steps taken by the Kerala government in maintaining a fine ecological balance between the dense Periyar Tiger Reserve and the various facilities extended to about five million pilgrims who visit the temple every year, particularly between December and February. This can be an eye-opener for States like Bihar and Jharkhand, which are yet to exploit their immense tourism potential.
S. Balakrishnan Jamshedpur, JharkhandSachar reportONE finding of the Sachar Committee, inexplicably deleted from the final report submitted to the Prime Minister, is that the percentage of Muslims in prisons in Maharashtra for less than a year is a whopping 40.6 per cent (Cover Story, December 15). A prisoner in jail for less than a year is either under trial or is yet to be charge-sheeted. Among those in prison for less than a year, the difference between the percentage of Muslims and that of other communities is glaring. One comes to the conclusion that proportionately more Muslims are either detained and "interrogated" needlessly and set free, or are put on trial on frivolous charges that cannot stand up in court. This was also evident in the aftermath of the Mumbai train blasts when hundreds of Muslims were rounded up and kept in detention for several days during which they were humiliated and tortured.
Dr. Mookhi Amir Ali MumbaiI WAS surprised by the categorisation of Indian Muslims into three social segments, the Ashrafs, the Ajlafs and the Arzals. `Ashraf' means `noble', `ajlaf' means `rude' or labourer and `arzal' means `ignoble'. The Sachar Commission has made the categorisation on the lines of the Hindu caste system, but this does not give the true picture. There are no castes in Muslim society as a whole.
A.T.M. Anwar HyderabadTHE Cover Story clearly reflected the deteriorating plight of Muslims in the country. It was a well-documented and assiduously researched feature, but it missed a major point. It is mentioned how, to escape from the clutches of Brahmin priests, many people embraced Islam, but there is no mention of the many forced conversions that took place. The hated Jizya tax was collected from the `Zimmins' (non-Muslims) during the rule of all Muslim rulers except Akbar. Measures are needed for the uplift of the community, but blaming the majority community alone for the plight of Muslims is not acceptable.
Brij Bhushan Vyas Jodhpur, RajasthanTHE Sachar Committee report is a wake-up call for the Muslim community and its religious leaders. Reservation is not a panacea for social deprivation. The importance of education and the need to join the mainstream should be stressed. The community should keep pace with the changing times.
J.V. Narasimha Raju VijayawadaTHE Sachar report has noted that the size of the Muslim community is only 13.4 per cent of the population. However, the 1951 Census recorded the figure as being 9.91 per cent. An increase of 3.49 percentage points in 50 years is not negligible. It is the government's responsibility to reverse the social and economic backwardness of the community and to keep a check on the rate of growth of its population.
Aswathy. C BangaloreTHE Sachar Committee has not revealed anything new. Most educated and affluent Muslims migrated to Pakistan during Partition. Those who stayed back followed traditional occupations. Those who broke the religious barriers rose and found a place in government services. The community's case for reservation in jobs is defeated by the fact that many Muslims drop out of school early. The benefits of reservation would go to the creamy layer, leaving the really backward people at the mercy of madrasas.
Vidya Panpatil Salem, Tamil NaduUNTIL about 150 years ago, Muslims were considered a princely class. How is it that a community, which ruled vast tracts of this country for about 400 years before the British, has become so backward in 60 years? Now a final twist is the apparent coincidence of Pakistan's new theory of origins and the Sachar Committee's report that Muslims are the most deprived lot in India. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is accusing the majority Hindus of India of depriving Muslims socially and economically. Is this a part of a bigger and more sinister scheme to divide the country once more?
J. Akshobhya MysoreFOR reasons going back to the 19th century, when modern education was introduced in India, Muslims have remained backward in education. If over five decades of independence have not removed the Muslims' backwardness in any significant way in India, in Pakistan, too, nearly 6.5 million children in the 5-9 age group are out of school; they either help their families with housework, or are part of the child labour force, or loiter in the streets (from a 2006 UNESCO report, which monitored the performance of countries in the school sector, according to Pakistani daily The Dawn).
It is plain that poverty and lack of access to education keep children out of school, whether in India or in Pakistan. But then, this problem is not confined to Muslims in India. There are many other sections of society whose children suffer the same plight. Education and economic growth are the best permanent remedies for backwardness.
Jayatheertha, S.A. HyderabadTHE Sachar report is one-sided. The articles have not answered why there should not be a uniform civil code and why Muslim politicians and religious leaders oppose moves in this direction.
P.S. Subramanian Tiruchy, Tamil NaduIN some parts of India, Muslims themselves are responsible for their community's backwardness. For instance, in one village in Rajasthan Muslim residents refused to let their children receive polio drops, fearing that the programme was part of a government conspiracy to reduce fertility. Similar cases have been heard of from remote parts of Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. I live in Hyderabad, where it is common for Muslim couples to have seven or eight children. Those I spoke to still believe that children are the gift of God, and so, the more the better. Muslims are not the only minority community in India. If Sikhs can flourish, so can Muslims. What is needed is a rational engagement with issues.
Harshdeep Singh Rapal SecunderabadIndia-ChinaTHE article "Towards lasting ties" (December 15), which evaluates Chinese President Hu Jintao's proposal for extensive cooperation between India and China, rightly points out that this would create a win-win situation. However, it all depends on how early a settlement of the boundary question between India and China is solved. Still, a "trust deficit" exists. China has an eye on "Tawang" in Arunachal Pradesh. India cannot loosen its grip in the eastern sector. China will not stand in the way of India's nuclear deal with the United States, as China will offer a similar deal to Pakistan.
Prof. Thomas Edmunds ChennaiU.P. politicsR.K. RAGHAVAN'S column ("Systemic strains", December 15) provided a good analysis of the state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh. It shows that the relationship between the Chief Minister and the Governor in any State is very important. In Tamil Nadu, the Chief Minister and Governor have sometimes differed, but without seriously affecting law and order. But in Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav and T.V. Rajeswar have been on a collision course.
S.Venugopalan ChennaiInflationTHE rise in the prices of vegetables, pulses and other essentials is the direct result of the wrong economic policies of the United Progressive Alliance government ("Why inflation still matters", December 15). Most of the financial policies of the government are inflationary. Profiteering by retailers is also responsible for the situation. It is the government's duty to ensure that farmers get good prices for their produce and that wholesalers and retailers do not secure astronomical profit margins.
Mahesh Kumar New DelhiJayati Ghosh's column has brought out the real causes of inflation. There is a high mismatch between supply and demand of essential food grains in the market.
This is due to economic mismanagement. Foreign investors are allowed to buy out food grains at prices that are higher than the government offers. This adversely affects foodgrain supply in the country. With the sanctioning of more special economic zones (SEZs), the pressure on land will increase, pushing up real estate prices.
Alex M. Thomas KeralaKhairlanjiBhotmange's family were killed because he had not given up his five acres of land to the village panchayat ("Dalit blood on village square", November 18). This is not new for Maharashtra, or for the country as a whole. Maharashtra, people say, is an industrially developed State. However, caste Hindus in the State behave like feudal lords and people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are treated like slaves. In every village, each caste has its own temple, a separate well and a separate `burial ground'.
These divisive practices have the support of the government and the people's representatives. At present, in western Maharashtra there is a movement under way against reservation, led by a Member of the Legislative Assembly. But the State government has done nothing about it.
Anand G. Shinde Miraj, MaharashtraANNOUNCEMENTLetters, whether by surface mail or e-mail, must carry the full postal address and the full name, or the name with initials.
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