Ali Sethi: He who has not seen India

This article irrititated me a lot. Not for pointing out Muslims in India are still a disadvantaged community, but for its selective highlighting, for its complete ignorance of the otherside of facts and the questions it would like to raise on identity in a society which has an idea of its own without a religious hyphen.

Alas, Mr. Ali Sethi has chosen an ignorant companion on his discovery of India. A more informed companion would have informed me how far India and Pakistan have diverged since the independence as very well articulated by Vir Sangvi here.

She would have told him a Muslim child in India at birth has a longer expectany at birth than her counter part in Pakistan , has higher chance of receiving education, will have better per capita income not speak of the freedom to live the way she chooses to. She would have pointed to Mr.Sethi the success stories in every field- business, sports, entertainment, politics where people succeeded by their enterprise, ingenuity, talent and hardwork irrespective of thier religion.

If Mr. Sethi was really keen to know the status of Muslims he would have spent time in the Library and learn some facts and he would have found the following showing in every way every citizen including Muslims in India will have a better chance of success.

Pakistan-2001 India - Muslims only difference

per capita GDP* 1834 2161 18%

source

1. Pakistan - Human development index report: http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/completenew1.pdf

2. Indian Muslims: http://minorityaffairs.gov.in/newsite/sachar/sachar_comm.pdf

* For Muslims in India derived from GDP nos using same ratios as per capita expenditure for different religious groups.