i) That the incidence of infant and child mortality per 1000 births is substantially higher among the Hindus than the Muslims, the overall differential being of the order of 29 to 30 percent in favour of Muslims. It is a universally recognized fact that the higher incidence of Infant and Child mortality is a direct consequence of poor nutritional intake resulting from acute poverty. In addition between 1991 and 1999, there was a steep increase in this differential in Infant and Child Mortality of the two communities which indicated a sharp decline in the economic status of Hindus 74 percent of whom are trapped in terminally ill rural sector dependant on agriculture. The following data compiled by S. Irudaya Rajan from District Fertility Estimates give the overall picture of the incidence of Infant and Child Mortality for Hindus and Muslims of India: Estimates of Infant and Child Mortality for Hindus and Muslims ------------------------------------------------------------- Source Infant Mortality Child Mortality Hindus Muslims Hindus Muslims Census 1991 74 68 97 91 NFHS- I (1992- 93) 90 77 121 106 NFHS – 2 77 59 107 83 (1998-99) -------------------------------------------------------------------- The above data is based on 2 National Family Health Surveys, NFHS –I and NFHS -2, held in the years 1992 and 1998-99 respectively. A third survey was undertaken recently but its full result are yet to be known. The term Infant Mortality relates to death of children below one year age per 1000 births, while Child Mortality connotes death of children below 5 years, but above the age of one year per 1000 births. The above data reveals that in 1998-99 for the country as a whole, there wee 77 cases of Infant Mortality (per 1000) among Hindus as against only 59 case among Muslims, thereby revealing more than 30 percent higher incidence of Infant Mortality among Hindus vis a vis Muslims. As regards the incidence of Child Mortality, according to NFHS -2 (1998-99) there were 107 cases of Child Mortality per 1000 births among Hindus compared to a meager 83 such cases among Muslims. In other words, the incidence of Child Mortality, too, is nearly 29 percent higher amongst Hindus as compared to the Muslims. It issimple commonsense and a universally recognized principle that higher incidence of Infant and Child Mortality is a direct consequence of poor ntritionl intake caused by acute poverty and inability to access proper medical care. In terms of these two important human development indicators the Hindus are definitely worse off than the Muslims. As pointed out in our Memorandum the manifest difference in the incidence of Child Mortality between Hindus and Muslims further widened to the disadvantage of Hindus between 1991 and 1999 due to sharp decline in incomes in the agricultural sector due to a massive decline in productivity in the agricultural sector due to dwindling investment in agriculture. This truth is fully reflected in suicides by more than 15,000 impoverished farmers, mostly Hindus whose rightful claim for “affirmative action” to ameliorate their lot has been ignored because they happen to be too poor and disorganized to act as a solid “vote bank” for politicians and have not learnt the devious art of practicing ‘grievance politics’.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 02:08:10 +0000
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