Muslims ahead on nutrition, health indicators: Status of women, dietary discrimination in other communities

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Firstly, this post is not for those who've no interaction with Muslims but have preconceived notions about the community and without statistics or any report, generalize, branding entire community as backward.

This is about the fact that in Muslim households, girls are valued much more, comparatively, and this is evident, statistically, also.

Even when female foeticide was rampant in North India, this was not a major problem in Muslim society.

In households, you often hear, 'Hamare huzoor ki nasl bhi unki beti se chali'. Many people don't understand that at ground level, even among the poorest of poor, this slight difference in attitude due to religion, plays a major role.

READ: 4.6 crore girls 'missing' in India due to 'son preference'

This is to highlight how certain religious teachings, sayings about women's status, have impact. Those working in social sector sector for years, knew difference but said, 'ya, they [Muslims] have less of this problem among women' (or in malnutrition too) but won't tell more.

There are big regions where Muslims don't have much land holdings, less than even 1% in govt jobs, yet, on these indicators like nutrition among girls, doing much better & despite less affluence, attitudes towards girl child-daughters, different-visible. Problem is sweeping generalization, false narrative.

READ: Why multiple abortions, female foeticide don't bother society?

Either it was about dietary discrimination or birth of girl child, these social evils were prevalent more in other communities. But nobody termed them as 'backward'. Backwardness is in social evils, attitudes. Being less affluent is not being backward. Open mind, shun prejudices.

It's not that we don't know or won't focus on our own shortcomings, we do and we must make an effort to get rid of social evils, try to improve. If on one indicator, we are doing well, we must try to do even more better in coming years. But branding & falsehood will be tackled.

READ: For 40 years no girl could stay alive in this MP village

It's not that you have a sex ratio of 850 in a region but still remain 'forward' or that women-girls in your community are more stunted, anaemic and malnourished, but you continue to term others as backward just because of your power to brand others and use majoritarian privilege to brand the 'other'.

This blog has a series of posts on this issue. Also, regarding backwardness, the false narrative that is shaped and how propaganda is used as a means to brand an entire community. More on this topic, with statistics would be posted, soon.

READ: Indian Muslims are NOT backward, talk on facts, social indicators

It is interesting that if you ask journalists on social sector beat, why they don't give religion-wise figures on these indicators, they quickly say, 'oh ya, we never thought about it'. Nobody else will tell your story, you need to tell it, claim your voice.

READ: Myths about Indian Muslim backwardness

Else, even if community doing well, the report will be published with a classification among Muslims, OBCs, Dalits and Tribals, not as Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jain, Buddhist--and you won't even know your own progress. Either it is NHFS or similar reports, keep an eye, read, write and tell. This series about the 'backwardness narrative' will continue and figures will be shared in coming posts.

WATCH VIDEO: How media created image of Muslim women as backward

Photo courtesy: Mr Joy Deb, Pexels

News to Noise: TV news era ending, viewers shun watching news on channels in India

 

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

The era when people started their day, watching news on TV, has gone. 

No longer, the families sit for the prime time news in the evening. 

TV news is almost dead. The system of 'watching news on channels' by entire family or even individual, has disappeared. 

TRPs can be managed to some extent and money pumped but the truth is that media companies' heads had it coming. 

The extreme NOISE, the fake news, hatred, agenda based propaganda and communalism that was aired day in and day out, had frustrated the viewers. 

Large number of Muslims had long ago STOPPED watching the channels due to their clear agenda. But eventually, others too got fed up of the same style and focus on topics like alleged Love Jihad or Prayers in Public. 

Why would someone get his or her BP shot up, after watching the loud and uncouth anchors, the sickening language, the charges and counter charges, yelling and shouting participants in debates that appear to be staged.

1. A substantial number of people who earlier watched news and discussions, have turned away from watching news channels in India and stopped getting news from TV due to constant commotion on screen, anchors' antics, weird discussions on controversial issues, regularly. 

2. A large section of people got disgusted & habit of watching TV news suffered, as debates turned high pitched. People fight and shout, and audience have got alternatives, they are now getting news from Twitter, Inshorts etc. Cable TV has been disconnected in many homes.

3. News media was going through a long crisis even otherwise. TRPs had gone down. Still, there was no attempt to invest in new formats, documentaries, focus on lives of people, serious issues, real problems of citizens, special reports or global affairs' coverage. 

4. Fiction, exaggerations, superstitions were aired to get eyeballs and this brought down standards. Less serious work was undertaken in terms of journalism. Either its English or Hindi channels, the indifference is same.

Channels can't sustain for long as advertisements are going towards digital platforms. People have lost interest and obtaining news through TV that used to be an essential ritual and part of their daily life, is gone.

5. The creativity is limited to the fact that Headlines are based on 'tukbandi' and rousing emotions or by boisterous conversations. All these news 'tamasha' promoters have ensured that the field of journalism has changed for worse, little scope has been left and news media will just drag somehow without any impact on society. 

6. The owners sold their souls and result is that overall journalism suffers today, jobs are dwindling and revenue is drying up. People were no longer interested in self obsessed anchors' monologues or watching a panel of selected people who argue, fight and make cheap comments. 

7. Either its English or Hindi and the regional news channels, the exasperation among viewers is clear. People have not just sort of 'boycotted' but consuming news through TV that used to be an essential part of one's life, is a thing of past now.

8. The hate peddlers and hate promoters have ensured that the field of journalism has changed for worse, little scope is left for the next generation of budding journalists, and news media will just drag without serious impact on society. 

9. Probably, this was bound to happen, as softness and sanity had totally disappeared. All the channels were doing exactly the same thing. Even moderate anchors were shunted out and journalists who focused on real issues, were sidelined. The result is that now there is struggle for survival.

10. People no longer feel dependent on TV and have no patience for watching news or debates that cause stress, anxiety and tension. After all, everyone wants a bit of relief and entertainment. Who can bear the ANGRY AND SHOUTING LOUTS anymore? 

Muslim leader from Bengal and former Member of Parliament, Badrudduja, his life and times

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Freedom fighter and prominent leader late Badrudduja is recalled for his politics as well as his firm stand on issues and oratory.

He was active during freedom struggle and participated in almost all the movements.

Even in pre-partition era, he was Mayor of Calcutta.

After 1947, his role in West Bengal politics became important. 

Badrudduja was never hesitant to speak on Muslim issues and took up the issue of injustice and atrocities with Muslims. Blitz and other newspapers termed him a 'reactionary'. However, he was unmoved and undeterred. He fearless intervened and took up the causes of the citizens. 

When he was targeted by the then State law minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray, he responded to the personal attack in a manner that the former had to apologize. Badrudduja said, 'If my loyalty to my religion and culture is used to brand me, then I'm proud of it'.

In 1967, he was elected MP as IDP candidate. In Assembly & Parliament, he was vocal & hence faced consequences. Also, with Krishak Praja Party (KPP) and then IDP.  In his political life, he remained a man firm on principles and never compromised.

For example, he refused to accept that just Muslim lawmakers will have to sign a document on Kashmir. Objecting, he said that it was wrong to just ask Muslim members to sign it. Often in conflict with governments, he was imprisoned time and again.

Syed Badrudduja was born in Murshidabad, Bengal in 1900. He studied law and was Mayor of Kolkata in 1943-44. He had participated in movements during freedom struggle. later, he went on to become the  member of legislative council of West Bengal after independence.

He was elected MLA several times. Besides, he contested and won in Lok Sabha elections too. One must remember than Bengal and Punjab were most affected by partition. West Bengal was left with few influential politicians from the Muslim community, after 1947.

Both these states were cut from the middle and divided among separate countries. Badrudduja didn't move and remained in India. It was a time when Muslims of Bengal and even North India, needed political voice. 

He showed that politics was possible without joining INC or Communists, took an independent line. He fearlessly spoke and raised the issues concerning Muslims. Either it is about lack of institutions or education, he was actively taking them up in Assembly as well as Parliament. 

As far as eloquence is concerned, Tagore was fulsome in praise when he saw him speak in 1938 and termed it a 'Gift of God'. When Badrudduja was moved by the complement, Tagore said that he was a writer and oratory was a totally different skill. His English speech had cast a spell on none other than CV Raman. Similarly, he could keep audience spellbound with his Urdu speeches.

Link and Link.

Aasim Bihari: Freedom fighter who led movements, battled for downtrodden all his life

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Ali Husain Aasim Bihari who was a freedom fighter, big leader, organised workers in Bihar & Bengal, brought out newspapers, formed multiple organisations.

He, led Momin Ansari community, and all his life fought for workers' rights. Suffered a lot in process and his family also lived in challenging circumstances.

Hailing from Bihar Sharif, Nalanda, he had to shift to Kolkata to earn a living and it was here that he began involved in freedom movement and started an unprecedented political and social journey despite financial constraints.

Aasim Bihari left a huge legacy but led a tough life. His family bore consequences of his immense passion for awakening the masses, at the cost of his own health and finances. He opposed partition of India and worked for uplift of downtrodden. He passed away in independent India and was buried in Allahabad.

I don't think it is easy to write about his missionary zeal and his sacrifices without getting tears in eyes. He faced personal tragedies, the death of his brother, the lack of money that caused hardships to his daughter, the suffering of his wife and entire family. 

He was ailing and couldn't be treated. He had declined the post of minister, also refused to take a princely sum, luring offer from a major political party, and his integrity for the cause was unquestionable.

In a life of constant struggle. Aasim Bihari formed organisations, led agitations, ran campaign to release nationalist leaders from jails after Jallianwalabagh massacre by sending letters from people of all parts of country to Queen & Viceroy. Brought out journals, weavers were organised amd turned into a political force.

Born in 1889 [1890*], he passed away in 1953. From Jamiatul Momineen, his lifelong fight for rights, awareness, awakening and education among masses, continued. CM recently released book on him and it has been decided to add a chapter on his life in school textbook.

[There is slight variation in references about his year of birth. However, the date of birth is April 15.]

Indian History: Battles were not fought due to religion or communal factor, stop distorting medieval India's history

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Raja Man Singh led the Mughal army and fought the Mewar army, nearly 445 years ago.

Man Singh's army had Hindus and Muslims. Mewar army too had both Hindus and Muslims.

In fact, Hakim Khan Sur fought against the Mughal army. In medieval era, people fought for power or prestige but were not as petty to look at everything from a religious lens.

The battle of Haldighati was not the sole such battle. All attempts to communalize, fall flat. Was Raja Man Singh good? 

Were all the North Indian or even South Indian rulers who never opposed Delhi or later allied with British rule, bad? And the lone man who died fighting, is termed villain!

Respect courage, then praise everyone's valour or condemn the cowards too. Medieval era was different. They had their culture, traditions and alliances as per need of the hour. Read with open mind, without bias and taking sides.

It was on June 18, 1576 that the battle of Haldighati was fought.

The battle like many others were not about Hinduism or Islam. Almost all the other Rajput states' rulers were with the Mughal kingdom. Similarly, Muslim soldiers were part of Mewar army too.

Now let's go to another century. Or see the case of Deccan or other parts. Shivaji's army had a large number of Muslims. He had Muslim generals and confidantes.

Unfortunately, after independence people who were in search for hetoes of their communities, in order to connect self with them and boost own ego, started looking for personalities from religious and other angles, like kinship. Communalism was injected and battles, petsonalities were chosen as 'our' or 'their' in this race.

[Shams Ur Rehman Alavi]

#History #India #Mughal #Rajput #Hindu #Muslim #IndianHistory #Communalism