Sachar report and the Muslim OBC
The Sachar report is available for download at the following link : http://indianmuslim.gov.in/pmhlc_report.pdf ( It is a PDF document about 6.5M and 425 pages of good reading material)
I am still reading it, so more details later.
Stepping back a bit, I was curious why even have a Sachar committee ? We already have a social justice policy for all backward classes dont we ? It is called the OBC quota for all social and educationally backward Indians. In many states, the entire muslim population is covered under OBC. So, at best the Sachar report proves that (1) the OBC policy is not sufficient for Muslims or (2) the selection of castes for OBCs itself is wrong. In other words, the arbitrariness of the OBC grouping has resulted in Muslims getting the short end of the stick.
The report is actually pretty well written and I dont think anyone can really accept the OBC grouping and not accept the fact the Muslims are shortchanged. You cant have it both ways.
The first thing I scanned in the report was whether there was any fresh data on exactly how many OBCs there are ? The ultimate anomaly that will hit the country in the next few months is the TN and Bengal scenario. Almost the entire population of Tamilnadu is classified as backward. According to the latest NSSO survey (61st round), it seems that only 3.9 to 5% of Tamilnadu are outside the quota umbrella, and 73% of Tamilnadu is OBC. Compare this with West Bengal, where only 6-8% are OBC !!
As far as the Muslims are concerned, I have to agree with Sachar. Take Kerala for example, it is common knowledge about the fact that Muslims dominate the Gulf employment profile. The countryside is filled with mansions and they drive the economy of the state. The same for many Tamil muslims. In these two states, almost 100% of muslims are classified as backward. Take a state like WB or UP or Assam, where the muslims are not doing too well, in these states 90% of Muslims are not given the OBC benefit.
Two tables from the Sachar report with comments.
Muslims profiles (click for full image)
Hindu OBC profiles (click for full image)
Click for TN and WB data
on December 2, 2006 on 2:03 pm
Now you will know why practically everyone you can talk to from Tamil Nadu supports reservation. I remember that the fat chettiar kid in my class whose family bought the first maruti 800 in that town was a BC too - and proud of that. If you need to get a definition of shamelessness, look at them.
on December 2, 2006 on 2:38 pm
Reason,
You cant really hold it against individuals who take advantage of opportunities available to them. That is human nature.
on December 2, 2006 on 3:00 pm
Well, it is human nature to be pissed about someone who gets a free ride he doesn’t deserve too, so allow me that
BTW, the Sachar figures from Bengal (and Assam) - do they include Bangladeshi illegal immigrants as well? Peter Foster of telegraph quoted a figure of 25% muslims in West bengal..
on December 2, 2006 on 5:29 pm
Indeed - you have a right to be pissed off!
I think more than you, the really backward has a greater reason to be pissed off. This is supposed to be about “them” right ? Did tyou know that Narikuravas (the nomadic Gypsies who wander selling beads and trinkets) are classified along with Isaivellalas (MBC). Is there any reason for this ?
According to the communal GO of the 1920s, it seems like TN had 14-16% brahmins (excluding other forward castes). Today, if only 3.9% of TN is forward castes (including brahmin) - where are the rest? If they migrated , it would be one of the largest internal migrations in India. Where did they go ?
To probe this phenomenon for myself, I set out to get my hands on the 1931 census. No luck. I have been told that the 1931 census is not available for all to see ! It seems I cant even get at the census tables via RTI.
I think Bengal is a lot simpler. The communists just did not play the caste or religion card there, but they had no problems playing the two cards in Kerala. The commies have been caught on the wrong foot by Sachar and they have a lot of explaining to do.
If Kerala with its wealthy and powerful Mappila muslims (40% of all families have atleast one person in the gulf) can classify 100% of them as backward - then on what grounds to the wretched muslims of Bengal are not. The CPI-M has been exposed here. It would seem most Bangladeshi muslims do not get the benefit of OBC quotas at the moment because only 3% of Bengal muslims are covered under any form of quota.
on December 2, 2006 on 6:15 pm
Brahmans used to be concentrated in a few regions in TN. One should not forget that TN Brahmans practiced family planning to a larger extent than others. So even if they were 15% of the population in 1920, a lower birth rate along with migration to other parts of India and abroad could have contributed to a large decline. Not a single one of my relatives has more than 2 children, many have only 1.
on December 3, 2006 on 5:19 pm
http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/dec/03dalits.htm
on December 5, 2006 on 8:16 am
rc,
how did you arrive at this figure of 15%?Is it because 20% seats were reserved for brahmins during british rule? That was an exercise in downsizing the brahmanas?
on December 5, 2006 on 9:43 am
Xyz,
The justice party after having obtained a quota for non-brahmin upper castes (reddiars, chettis, mudaliars, naidoos, etc) in the legislative council then promulgated the “communal GO”. The idea was to give due representation to five communities on numerical strength and in direct proportion to their population. I am quite sure this was the case.
Unlike today, detailed caste counts were available in 1910 and 1920, it is unlikely that the openly anti-brahmin Justice party would have allowed brahmins a cut greater than their population share.
This is why we need access to the 1931 census data, which may not be available to the general public. When I have time, I want to get to the bottom of this.
Brahman,
I dont believe birth control is a valid reason. I think up until the 60s birth control was quite rare. It was quite the norm to have 6-7 kids. There is no evidence to suggest that the brahmin fertility rate was low or that the child mortality rate was high. In fact, I think it was the opposite due to the urban and semi-urban nature of the brahmins and better (relatively) access to medical care.
on December 11, 2006 on 3:09 pm
[...] Neither is Dr. Clean’s statement grounded in commonsense, repeated ad nauseam on this blog and elsewhere: not all “upper caste” people are millionaires, and not all Muslims/OBCs/SCs/STs live in penury. The sole criterion should be economic backwardness, not tabulation of caste/class/community data that will lead nowhere. But the UPA has tied itself into inextricable knots over the reservations issue, which will continue to lead to questions like this: We already have a social justice policy for all backward classes dont we ? It is called the OBC quota for all social and educationally backward Indians. In many states, the entire muslim population is covered under OBC. So, at best the Sachar report proves that (1) the OBC policy is not sufficient for Muslims or (2) the selection of castes for OBCs itself is wrong. In other words, the arbitrariness of the OBC grouping has resulted in Muslims getting the short end of the stick. [...]
on December 11, 2006 on 3:18 pm
[...] Neither is Dr. Clean’s statement grounded in commonsense, repeated ad nauseam on this blog and elsewhere: not all “upper caste” people are millionaires, and not all Muslims/OBCs/SCs/STs live in penury. The sole criterion should be economic backwardness, not tabulation of caste/class/community data that will lead nowhere. But the UPA has tied itself into inextricable knots over the reservations issue, which will continue to lead to questions like this: We already have a social justice policy for all backward classes dont we ? It is called the OBC quota for all social and educationally backward Indians. In many states, the entire muslim population is covered under OBC. So, at best the Sachar report proves that (1) the OBC policy is not sufficient for Muslims or (2) the selection of castes for OBCs itself is wrong. In other words, the arbitrariness of the OBC grouping has resulted in Muslims getting the short end of the stick. [...]
on June 7, 2007 on 12:00 pm
WELL I DONT THINK ALL MUSLIMS USE RESERVATION…N MOST OF THEM HAVE A TOUGH TIME FITTING IN WITH NORMAL PPL..
on July 25, 2007 on 4:33 pm
i read your site.
i shock!!!!
its truth???
this time is work for my community and my country.
Muhammad Shabbir
Trusty, AL-RAZA FOUNDATION (Regd)
Surat .
M:09228150166
on January 25, 2008 on 5:55 am
I want to reservation for backward(Pasamada) Mudlims.
on June 6, 2008 on 8:30 am
every one in this country needs reservation and every one says do not give it to brahmins even if they are poor. even if they are singled out for exploiting education for their benefit punish the son for the crime of father what a justice the secular india has proven itself to be secular by ommitting upper caste from all walk of life but the country will see the sons of these brahmins becoming terrorist dacoits criminals if they will not be provided equal oppertunities the opressed has always retaliated and we have the capability to carry fire to those who are burning our house today wake up people do not force any community to take up disasterous steps the making of punjab and kashmir was not rocket science it was only the flare up of sentiments
on August 12, 2008 on 10:09 am
I would like to know whether muslims…(my name is suahil mohamed…and not a syed,pathan,sheikh…or ashraf.)come under OBC category ?
on August 14, 2008 on 3:07 am
suhail
Depends on which state you live in.
If you are in the south - almost all muslims are OBC.