Upon the education of the people of the country, Benjamin Disraeli famously said, the fate of the country depends. The UPA seems to believe that since its fate depends on vote bank politics, quotas are what the fate of the country depends on. Nothing symbolises this more than the fact that there are at least three GOMs and four committees focussed only on quotas. And post-Sachchar Committee more could be on the anvil.

Those polled do support affirmative action but what matters is what the focus is. The backwardness of some castes has a historic background and do deserve attention and ergo find support of a third of those polled. But when the logic is distorted to moot a quota based on religion, 47 per cent say "no.". Indeed, 46 per cent of those polled find the quota agenda "politically motivated". The Congress-led coalition may be surprised to know that despite their stance, their support among Muslims has fallen from 59 per cent in August 2004 to 45 per cent.

If the community is disaffected, the reasons may be elsewhere and one suspects those who fought polls in Kerala, West Bengal and Assam have some idea of the reason. So do those readying for the battle in UP.

Without doubt, the backwardness of religious minorities-principally Muslims-is a cause for concern. But what is the cause, the diagnosis and what should be the prescription? Clearly, geographical location and by deduction level of governance plays a major role in economic deprivation. The thesis is easily validated by a cursory study of data. Muslims in the south are more literate and better placed. If Muslims seem overly deprived in the North, it is not just them. Literacy or income levels are generally low across classes, castes and religions in the north. Unlike the south, in the north, neither the Congress nor the other parties have thrown up leaders who could play the education evangelist-neither among Dalits nor among Muslims. Nor has it been found among regional outfits. It seems easier to resort to rhetoric. Generalisations rather than a scientific temper seem to dictate the agenda.

-By Shankkar Aiyar

POLL

47% Muslims feel that the issue of backwardness of the community raised by the UPA is politically motivated while 24% cite lack of education as the cause of backwardness. What do you think about the condition of Muslims in India? Themselves to blame 28 Have same opportunities as others 27 Lack in education 13 Neglected by govt 8 Lack opportunities 6 All figures in per cent. Rest: Don't know/Can't say Should Muslims have the first claim over the country's resources? No 51 Yes 29 DK/CS 20 All figures in per cent. DK/CS: Don't know/Can't say Should there be reservations based on religion? No 47 Yes 31 DK/CS 22 All figures in per cent. What do you think about the UPA Government's current reservation policy for OBCs? Approve 33 No opinion 21 (19) Disapprove 17 (16) DK/CS 29 Figures in brackets indicate percentage in August 2006 All figures in per cent. DK/CS: Don't know/Can't say Do you think the issue of backwardness of Muslims raised by the UPA is politically motivated? Yes 46 No 27 DK/CS 27 All figures in per cent. DK/CS: Don't know/Can't say

Index