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BIHAR: Muslims A Neglected Lot In Bihar: Report The Hindustan Times, May 04, 2005, Wednesday Muslims a neglected lot in Bihar: Report Samir Kumar Mishra (Press Trust of India) Patna, May 3, 2005: With only 36 per cent of Bihar's rural Muslim households owning land, their annual income a paltry Rs 31,000, and about one fifth of their children of school-going age out of school - their condition leaves much to be desired. According to a survey on 'Socio-economic and Educational status of Muslims in Bihar', commissioned by the State Minorities Commission and conducted by Asian Development Research Institute, Muslims often faced "outright discrimination" in employment and had "insignificant" representation in panchayat and municipalities. The report, which was submitted in November last year to the Rabri Devi government, was not made public, probably because of the impact it could have on impending state assembly elections. The report says out of 1.37 crore Muslims (census 2001), eight per cent live in rural areas, where land and related resources form the main base of livelihood, but only 36 per cent of households have some land. Among the general population, land-owning households constitute 58 per cent. The average land per land-owning Muslim household is only 1.91 acres compared to 2.32 acres for the general population. With respect to livestock resources, rural Muslim households are worse off compared to general population--56 per cent of them own some livestock resources compared to 61 per cent among the general population, it says. The report says the non-land resource base of Muslim households is even smaller than the land and land-related resources. The percentage of Muslim households engaged in artisan-based activities is only 2.1 per cent in rural and 4.4 per cent in urban areas, indicating that in the face of competition from modern manufacturing industries, the traditional artisan-based activities in many such households have fast disappeared, forcing their workers to become low paid wage earners, the report says. Given the "very adverse" livelihood conditions, migration by workers is a common practice, the report says, adding, for every 100 rural Muslim household, there are 63 migrants. In urban areas, the figure is 24. The survey report says the annual income of Muslim households was about Rs 31,000 in rural and 43,000 in urban areas. Assuming a seven-member household to be an average one, about 49.5 per cent of rural Muslim households lives below poverty line, compared to 44.3 per cent for general population. In urban areas, however, the poverty estimates for Muslim and general population differ considerably. While 44.8 per cent urban Muslim households live below the poverty line, the figure for general population is 32.9 per cent. About one-fifth of Muslim children in school going age do not attend school, both in rural and urban areas, it said, but expressed satisfaction that the situation was not as bad as it was till the last generation when half of the adult Muslims in urban areas and more than that in rural areas never went to school. Voicing concern over "outright discrimination" against Muslims in employment, the report said it was "predominant if not the sole" reason for their "insignificant" presence in the organised sector and "much less proportionate" share of Government jobs. Calling for special measures to overcome "segmentations" of labour market, the report suggested setting targets for recruitment of Muslims in these jobs, monitoring progress on a continued basis, and the Government opening a dialogue with the organised sector to ensure that they also set targets for recruitment of Muslims. "Besides, exemplary punishment should be meted out in all cases of discrimination against Muslims in matter of employment, which is a crime according to our law," the report said. Stating that the representation of Muslims in panchayats and municipalities was "minimal or insignificant", it said, "This is a poor reflection on social and political integration of this most important minority community" and suggested that political parties should give more tickets to Muslims for contesting elections to local bodies. The report said the survey conducted in 8065 households in 167 villages and 14 towns spread over 20 districts of Bihar showed that a "relatively small proportion (5-7 per cent) of the Muslim population in rural and somewhat large (12-14 per cent) in urban areas recalled having personally suffered from communal riots and only one-fourth of them found the police trustworthy during riots. "Fortunately, by and large, communal peace has prevailed in Bihar in the recent years. This may be partly due to the convergence of fortuitous political circumstances, which cannot be taken for granted," the report said. http://www.hindustantimes.com/2005/May/03/181_1346133,000900030002.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [2] Newindpress.com/PTI, May 05, 2005, Thursday Seer case: HC quashes Goondas Act against 11 accused CHENNAI: In a major set back to Tamil Nadu government, Madras High Court on Thursday set aside the detention of 11 Sankararaman murder case accused, including Raghu, the brother of junior seer Vijayendra Saraswathi, Kanchi mutt manager Sundaresa Iyer, and Appu, under the Goondas Act. The government had invoked the act against 16 of the 24 accused in the case. http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEL20050505033322&Page=L&Title=B+R+E+A+K+I+N+G++++N+E+W+S&Topic=337& ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] The Hindu, May 05, 2005, Thursday `Dalits in Keeripatti still remain ostracised' J.V. Siva Prasanna Kumar Inquiry prejudiced, says Joint Action Committee MADURAI: About 15 Dalit families at Keeripatti in Usalimpatti taluk of Madurai district continue to be ostracised by the caste Hindus, and revenue officials' effort to set right the problem is only an `eyewash,' said the Joint Action Committee against Untouchability. Speaking to presspersons here on Wednesday, Henri Tiphagne, executive director, Peoples' Watch, and Rajni, an advocate, said the inquiry by revenue officials into the atrocities perpetrated on the Dalits was "prejudiced" and did not mitigate their condition. A section of the Dalits, who related their experience, said 15 families who had voted against a common candidate fielded by the village elders were being prevented from buying groceries, boarding buses or even using the sanitary complex constructed for them. They were denied employment by the caste Hindus. As a result, they found it difficult to obtain provisions or get a job to run their families. The April 19 by-election was a nightmarish experience to them. If this trend continued, the lot of the Dalits would be doomed forever, they said. Mr. Henri Tiphagne and Ms. Rajni said there was a gross violation of the Scheduled Caste\Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the village. The Dalits were even prevented from exercising their franchise on April 19 and demanded that the officials strictly enforce the SC\ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and initiate action against those who were behind the violence. The police were "indifferent" to the plight of the Dalits. "If the authorities did not take action, we would seek legal remedy under Section 4 of the IPC (wilful negligence of duty by executive and police)," Mr. Henri said. http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/05/stories/2005050515430800.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [4] The Hindu, May 04, 2005, Wednesday Police terrorising rights groups: APCLC * Police accused of instigating naxal-victims kin to question rights groups * Rights bodies and people's organisations being suppressed * Release of 130 activists sought * Police urged to restore peace in villages ANANTAPUR: The Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee has no reservations in speaking to the victims of naxalite violence provided they are not doing it so at the behest of the police, the State general secretary of the organisation, S. Seshaiah, said here on Tuesday. http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/04/stories/2005050409670300.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------- CHRO |
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| << May07, 2005 - [India Thinkers Net]AIDWA on Model Nikahnamah of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board |
May10, 2005 - [India Thinkers Net]dnrad1 World War2 Victory >> |
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