Sir,
Please refer to Manu Khajuria’s article “Polarizing religious communities ” ( DE July 8)
The author of the article has said that “6 out of 10 districts of Jammu province have a Muslim majority”. This is not correct. Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Reasi and Udhampur are the districts where the Hindus constitute an overwhelming majority. Ramban district is also a Hindu-majority district with Muslims constituting almost 45 per cent of its total population. Doda and Kishtwar districts are the districts where the proportion of Muslims and Hindus is almost 55:45. Then tehsils like Bhadrwah have Hindu majority. Neither the Muslims in the Ramban district nor the Hindus in Doda and Kishtwar districts can be termed as a minority. 45 per cent population in any particular area just can’t be termed as minority. The fact of the matter is that the Muslims and the Hindus are almost evenly placed in Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts.
Similarly, Rajouri district cannot be termed as a Muslim-majority district in the real sense of the term. For, the Hindus constitute in this district almost 35 per cent population and two of its five tehsils have Hindu majority. Poonch is the only district where the Muslims constitute almost 85 per cent of the total population. And, the most significant aspect is that the political attitude of people of Jammu province — Hindus and Muslims included — is the same and it can be seen from the fact that Kashmiri separatists have failed to establish any foothold in any of the Jammu districts where the Muslims are comparatively more numerous despite their numerous forays.
All, barring a few disgruntled elements here and there, are part of the mainstream. They are facing similar problems and they are all the victims of policy of discrimination being devised and enforced ruthlessly by the Valley’s ruling elite. Even far more significant is the fact that an overwhelming majority of population of the province is for the unity and territorial integrity of the region and fed up with the Valley’s ruling class and its supporters in Jammu province.
It is hoped the author would appreciate these facts concerning the demographic profile of Jammu province.
Yours etc…
Manoj Thappa
on e-mail
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