finding rickshaw.

One more story from our Saath training:

While visiting an called S.nagar in a Muslim area of Ahmedabad, Natassia and I met with Yakubhai, a S.nagar community leader. After touring the microfinance and resource center initiatives, we asked Y bhai whether the children’s schools were integrated with Hindus. He responded, “No, but the Muslim students do have Gujarati teachers”. After letting that comment sink in for a few minutes, I asked him why he differentiated “Muslim” from “Gujarati” and whether he considered himself Gujarati (Yukubhai was born and raised in Gujarat, India). The American translation of this would be Latino or black or any American-born minority who has white teachers saying that he/she was a “black student taught by American teachers”.

Religion tension in Gujarat peaked in 2002 when the infamous Gujarat Riots claimed the lives of 750 Muslims and 250 Hindus. Y bhai said that in the early 1970’s this area was comprised of Hindus and Muslims from Gujarat and neighboring states. He said that he grew up nationalistic and had pride in his state and country. However, as religious conflict escalated over the next 30 years, safety concerns propelled Hindus to migrate from this area and Muslims to move in – a steady course of segregation. After the 2002 riots (where Muslim citizens and business were targeted by Hindu mobs), Y bhai began to categorize Gujarat and India as places where he lived and not as representations of his identity. This identity shift is happening across socio-economic classes in Ahmedabad as well – wealthy Muslims are leaving integrated areas and moving to Juhapura. It was disturbing to hear about this silent segreation, especially within India, which rivals America in religious secularity.

Gujarat gov't marketing campaign to rename the Muslim derived "Ahmedabad".

One other noticeable characteristic of Y bhai’s slum was the inadequate infrastructure – the lack of flowing water and unpaved roads contrasted the infrastructure of the other areas where Saath works. The cause may be found in the BJP’s ascension to power in Gujarat. The BJP has done much for Gujarat, but some critics argue that this Hindu centric government has subordinated the needs for its Muslim citizens.

~ by findingrickshaw on October 3, 2008.

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