The data provided by the Gujarat government to the Rajinder Sachar Committee show Muslims are better off in the state on social indices than most other states — and, in fact, more literate than Hindus in the state.

On education, employment and benefits from government schemes, the Narendra Modi government in the state claims a healthy record for the minority

community.

Consider these:

• 73.6 per cent is the literacy rate among the Muslims as against 68.3 per cent among Hindus.

• 7.3 per cent employees in Government service are Muslims while they form 9.01 per cent of the population.

• 4.5 per cent of the teachers are Muslims in the state.

• 40 Muslim sub-castes are being provided with reservation.

In its response to the committee’s queries, the Gujarat state government has also highlighted a Rs 500-crore project for the kite-making sector.

With 90 per cent of the Below Poverty Line Muslims working in this sector, the state claims the project has been well-received.

Besides this, Gujarat has drawn attention to schemes such as the Kanva Kelavani Scheme for educating the girl child — it claims the principal beneficiaries have been Muslim girls. However, it does not have religion-based data to back this claim. Countering allegations of ghettoisation of Muslims, the Modi government says that even in parts of Ahmedabad dominated by Hindus, there are several Muslims who own shops.

Having looked at the data, a section of the Sachar panel feels that a “deeper analysis is needed to ascertain the veracity of such claims, considering the number of complaints the panel received from the community members, NGOs and other organisations”.

... contd.