Muslims in state on the march,says Governor

In her speech,Beniwal cited the Sachar Committee report saying Muslims in Gujarat have kept pace with the progress in the state. “The literacy rate among Muslims in Gujarat is 73.5%,compared to national literacy of 59.1%. Literacy rate among Muslim women in Gujarat is 5% more compared to national literacy average in urban areas. In rural areas,it is 57%,compared to the national average of 43%. In Gujarat,45.3% Muslim children receive secondary education as against the national average of 40.5%. Against the plan of the Government of India to provide scholarship to 52,260 minority students under the pre-matric scheme,Gujarat has made available scholarship to the tune of R 227 lakh to 2,25,000 Muslim students during 2010-11 and paid assistance worth R 535 lakh for school uniform to 3,57,000 Muslim students studying in Std 1-7,” the Governor said.

Regarding the per-capita income of Muslims in the state,she said in urban areas of Gujarat,it was R 875,compared to the national average of R 804. The figure was R 662 in Uttar Pradesh,R 748 in West Bengal,R 811 in Punjab,R 803 in Andhra Pradesh and R 837 in Karnataka. Thus,Gujarat is in the forefront compared to the other states,she said. “Per capita income among Muslims community in rural areas in Gujarat is R 668,compared to the national average of R 553,” the Governor added.

She also claimed that better health services were being provided to Muslims in Gujarat than in other large states of India. “States that have performed well in this regard have been placed in the ‘good’ category by Government of India. Gujarat finds a place in that category. These details from the Sachar committee Report completely discredits the misinformation campaign going on with regard to the economic and social condition of the Muslim community in Gujarat,” the Governor said.

However,leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and senior state Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said it is the state government that gives inputs for the Governor’s speech and the government gives only selective figures to highlight its own claims. The actual situation in Gujarat is different,he said.

“Farmers are immolating themselves and the land mafia and favourite industrialists of the CM are ruling the state. It was to show our protest that we did not allow the Governor to make her speech and walked out of the House,” he said.