1. A Perspective on Strategies for the Development of Muslims in India Ausaf Ahmad IICC, New Delhi 20 January 2007

2. ESTABLISHED FACTS Relative Social and Economic backwardness of Indian Muslims is well established through: HLC (Sachar Committee) 2006 HLC (Sachar Committee) 2006 Gopal Singh Panel 1983 Gopal Singh Panel 1983 Research Studies Ahmad (1992), Khalidi (1993), Zakaria (1994) etc Research Studies Ahmad (1992), Khalidi (1993), Zakaria (1994) etc

3. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Reservation Reservation Special programs and affirmative action Special programs and affirmative action Special Urdu Medium Schools in Muslim dominated areas Special Urdu Medium Schools in Muslim dominated areas Diversity Index Diversity Index Equal Opportunity Commission Equal Opportunity Commission

4. WEAKNESSES OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS Lead to Public apathy. Lead to Public apathy. Involve inefficiency Involve inefficiency Do not produce quick results Do not produce quick results Prone to political manipulations Prone to political manipulations Produce undesirable political pressures Produce undesirable political pressures Prone to bureaucratic and procedural delays. Prone to bureaucratic and procedural delays.

5. WHY DO WE NEED A STRATEGY? Inter-linkage of various programs Inter-linkage of various programs Well defined targets Well defined targets Merits and demerits of alternative courses of action. Merits and demerits of alternative courses of action.

6. IMPORTANT MISSING FACTORS mind set …Communal identities and communal attitudes mind set …Communal identities and communal attitudes Communal rioting and Security Concerns Communal rioting and Security Concerns Historical factors: Historical factors: Partition and its aftermath Partition and its aftermath Zamindari Abolition Zamindari Abolition

7. FRAMEWORK OF CUMULATIVE CAUSATION Fear Psychosis Majority aggressive-Minority NessConsciousness Minority Separatism

8. INGREDIENTS OF A STRATEGY A positive mind set A positive mind set Willingness to grow [ Arther Lewis] Willingness to grow [ Arther Lewis] Willingness to Work hard Willingness to Work hard Participation in national life and not the confrontation Participation in national life and not the confrontation

9. A SUGGESTED STRATEGY Protection of Identity Protection of Identity Pursuit of Excellence Pursuit of Excellence Self help and Cooperative efforts Self help and Cooperative efforts Enlightened Leadership Enlightened Leadership

10. PROTECTION OF IDENTITY Protection of Muslim identity Protection of Muslim identity Articles 25 and 26 of the constitution guarantee preservation of Minority Character. Articles 25 and 26 of the constitution guarantee preservation of Minority Character. Inculcation of Islamic values Inculcation of Islamic values Who is better in speech than the one who calls to God, works in righteousness and says, I am the one of those who bow in Islam (41:33) Who is better in speech than the one who calls to God, works in righteousness and says, I am the one of those who bow in Islam (41:33) Hikmah (Farasat al Momin) Hikmah (Farasat al Momin)

11. PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE Pursuit of Excellence can break the vicious circle though it may be a tall order. Pursuit of Excellence can break the vicious circle though it may be a tall order. It has to pervade all walks of life. It has to pervade all walks of life. A minority can not afford to be mediocre. A minority can not afford to be mediocre. Pursuit of Excellence has to be inculcated as a value from the very childhood. Pursuit of Excellence has to be inculcated as a value from the very childhood.

12. SELF HELP AND COOPERATIVE EFFORTS Verily never will God change the condition of a people until they change it themselves [ 13:11] Verily never will God change the condition of a people until they change it themselves [ 13:11] Help ye one another in righteousness and piety but help ye not another in sin and rancor. [ 5:2]. Help ye one another in righteousness and piety but help ye not another in sin and rancor. [ 5:2]. The social life of Muslims in India could be transformed through self help and cooperation. The social life of Muslims in India could be transformed through self help and cooperation. Muslim NGOs could also be helpful in this context. Muslim NGOs could also be helpful in this context.

13. ENLIGHTENED LEADERSHIP Reconstruction requires sustained effort, persistence, hard work and foresight. Reconstruction requires sustained effort, persistence, hard work and foresight. Vision for future Vision for future Micro approach. Micro approach. Abstaining from narrow and Parochial political gains. Abstaining from narrow and Parochial political gains. Spread of success story and change of mind set. Spread of success story and change of mind set.

14. A FINAL STATEMENT If India remains weak, backward and poor, Indian Muslims cannot be rich and poor. There is a danger, however, that India may develop and prosper but Indian Muslims remain in the backwaters of development - poor, backward and deprived ! More than any body else, it is their own responsibility to see that it does not happen. !!