An interesting interview with Tarek Fatah.
I would not call it "interesting" ....more amusing then anything else.
I'm relieved all my impressions turned out to be realistic India is the only country offering a future in terms of what the nation state would be and how to accommodate languages, races and religions with all the difficulties that go with that. As a Muslim, i found it fascinating that this is the only place in the world where Muslims exert influence without fear. Muslims are better equipped in India than in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
I dont think our "muslim secular reformist liberal" has come across the Sachar Committee Report.
1. the Committee has found that the rate among Muslims is very much below than the national average. The gap between Muslims and the general average is greater in urban areas and women.
2.The average amount of bank loan disbursed to the Muslims is 2/3 of the amount disbursed to other minorities. In some cases it is half. The Reserve Bank of Indias efforts to extend banking and credit facilities under the Prime Ministers 15-point programme of 1983 has mainly benefited other minorities marginalizing Muslims.
3.Substantially larger proportion of the Muslim households in urban areas are in the less than Rs.500 expenditure bracket.
4.The presence of Muslims has been found to be only 3% in the IAS, 1.8% in the IFS and 4% in the IPS.
5.Muslim community has a representation of only 4.5% in Indian Railways while 98.7% of them are positioned at lower levels. Representation of Muslims is very low in the Universities and in Banks. Their share in police constables is only 6%, in health 4.4%, in transport 6.5%.
6.Most of the variables indicate that Muslim-OBCs are significantly deprived in comparison to Hindu-OBCs. The work participation rate (WPR) shows the presence of a sharp difference between Hindu-OBCs (67%) and the Muslims. The share of Muslim-OBCs in government/ PSU jobs is much lower than Hindu-OBCs.
Sachar Committee Report - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I think they're puzzled. I felt the vast majority of Indian Muslims are open to the idea of a separation of religion and state. They've rejected Islamic states, voting to stay here however, there is no leadership in the Muslim community that says, 'Not in my name'. I talked to prominent Muslims who said, "You're not going to make me deal with issues as a Muslim. I am an Indian. " But i feel they are abdicating the responsibi-lity they have, as the only Muslims with the freedom to stand up against those who wish to take this freedom away.
Well its pretty obvious that indian muslims are going to be more "pro indian" then "pro religion" otherwise they would have moved to pakistan....... if can use that sweeping generalization without sounding like that indian muslims are not true muslims.
Indian muslims believed that the indian state would remain free of religion but with the rise of hindu parties ,the fear of the muslims that india would be dominated by hindus and that we would be sent down the social-economic indicators turned out to be true.
Unfortunately, the liberal Left, including socialist parties in America and India, doesn't admit they don't have it right. But they're making an error in thinking Islamo-fascism is linked with economic deprivation. Such thinkers should go on a sabbatical to Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Aligarh they'd be in for the shock of their lives.
Of course it has nothing to do with pakistan feeling threatened by india or the afghans going through decades of war from being trained and funded by the US to now being a foe.
Was going to go through each point you highlighted but the obvious flaws in the great "muslim secular reformist liberal" article are there to be seen by anybody without an agenda.