“National integration
is born in the hearts of the citizens. When it dies there, no army, no
government, no constitution, can save it”. – Nani A
Palkhivala
We ought to reflect
sincerely on the immortal words of Palkhivala better known for his razor-sharp
mind and candid observations. I have debated about Islamophobia in Assam –
perhaps largely due to influx of Bangladeshi immigrants, earlier. The issue is
turning serious there in Assam owing to ensuing assembly elections next
year. But more vital, if not
dangerous phenomenon, about Muslim-Hindu population is happening in next door
state – West Bengal; where too elections are due in April-May 2016.
'Popular' Mamata |
West Bengal,
under Muslim appeasers Leftists and then Ms Mamata Banerjee, has seen a rise in
Muslim population from 25.2 per cent in 2001 to 27 per cent in 2011. It is
a growth of 1.8 percentage points, more than double the national average growth
for Muslim population (0.8 per cent). If Anatanag district in Jammu &
Kashmir shows highest in number of Muslims by percentage; Murshidabad district
in Bengal is the highest by headcount.
Three districts which
the Muslims have outnumbered Hindus in Bengal are Murshidabad
(47 lakh Muslims; 23 lakh Hindus), Malda (20 lakh Muslims; 19 lakh Hindus) and
North Dinajpur (15 lakh Muslims; 14 lakh Hindus).
There is also the issue of higher fertility rate. It is mainly due to higher fertility rate among poor and Muslims who are low in socio-economic and educational status.
These findings are not without good reasons.
In March 2005, the Congress-led UPA regime trying to reach out to Muslims appointed a High Level Committee headed by Retired Justice Rajinder Sachar. The panel reported “Muslims are at a double disadvantage with low level of education combined with low quality education their deprivation increases manifold as the level of education rises”.
Now, it goes without saying, very high rural poverty and high concentration of Muslims in rural areas are the important factors in the low educational status of Muslims and enhanced population growth.
These factors can be
understood better in the context of states like West Bengal.
In 1951 Muslim
population in Bengal accounted for 19.85 percent. There was
dominating position of the share of Hindu population but this
share declined from 78.45 per cent in 1951 to 72.47 per cent in 2001.
If the Muslim
population nationwide has increased by 0.8 per cent, in Bengal the
decline of Hindu growth has a higher rate - 1.77 per cent. If this growth
continues, studies suggest the share of Muslim population in West Bengalby
2041 is estimated to be 29.36 per cent and share of
Hindu population is estimated to be 69.28 per cent.
With 2011 recording -
26.86 Muslim population in Bengal, the projected population of Muslims
read ominous - 2021- 27.89; 2031- 28.70 and 2041-
29.36. So there’s definitely decline in Hindu population.
Those who follow West Bengal affairs
know that, the issue has become more complex with the support of the
state governments (both Left
and Mamata Banerjee regime) to the “illegal Bangladeshi Muslim
infiltrators”.
Ground reality and
even census figures both 2001 and 2011 suggest the Muslim population share has
gone up significantly and the number of districts where they are more than one
third has also risen. The jihadi cells that made waves in Burdwan district is
seen only as tip of iceberg.
Look at the more
glaring fact, SICKULARISTS avoid looking at: across India nationwide the Hindu
population has dipped by 0.7 per cent, in West Bengal it is much
higher at 1.94 per cent. Bangladeshi influx is
thus more a simple reality, it could be demographic threat and perhaps more
than what has been discussed at length over so many years in Assam.
Meanwhile, another
state smitten with Marxist brand of politics, Kerala too has interesting datas
to offer. In Kerala, the Muslim
population growth has led to polarization among Hindu pockets. Therefore,
Marxists, once paradoxically considered pro-Hindu in Kerala as against
pro-Congress tilt of Christians, are feeling the heat of BJP’s growth. This year, a nervous
CPI-M organized Janmashtami celebrations in honour of Lord Krishna for the
first time in the southern state.
The latest
religion-based population data shows that between 2001 and 2011, population of
Muslims in Kerala grew by 1.9%, from 24.7% to 26.6%. After Assam and
Uttarakhand, the southern state Kerala ranks third in Muslim population
growth.
And BJP certainly has
not lost the big picture.
(ends)
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