69 million page views

India and Muslims

Reader comment on item: Ariel Sharon's Folly

Submitted by Vijay (United States), Apr 11, 2005 at 17:53

I would like to clarify the assertions made on this board about the forcible removal of Muslims from India (to Pakistan). That assertion is historically not accurate. When the British left the Indian sub-continent there was a movement by the Islamic community for not wanting to live in a secular, multi-religious society. Especially because this would be the first time since Islam's violent introduction into India (around 11th century AD), that the country would have an ethnically native ruling class.

The Muslim people who left India to Pakistan (or Bangladesh (east Pakistan)), left voluntarily. It is very important realize that because India continues to have a substantial Muslim population. In fact according to most official sources (both Indian and Pakistan governments) only about 15% about the population relocated during that period. That number is further backed by the fact Muslims continue to constitute 12% of Indian's current population (CIA world fact book: www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/). If they were "ethnically cleansed" as claimed here, then they wouldn't constiture such huge portion of the population. India is an extremely tolerant, religiously diverse, secular country. In some ways the minorities there have more rights then the US.

Another point of note is that Pakistan cannot claim the same treatment of its minority. The country is 99% Muslim now from only 75% in 1947. If any ethnic cleansing has taken place its in Pakistan (and Bangladesh). But that is well established fact that Muslims have no tolerance for any community but their own.

That's why Israel resistance is so important. If Israel falls to the Arab extremists, the confidence of the Islamic world would go the point of being aggressive against the rest of the world.
Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (113) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
The Gaza pullout [131 words]asafNov 21, 2005 14:4328654
Regarding Ariels Sharon's Folly [505 words]GabrielleAug 14, 2005 08:5224632
re Ariel Sharons Folly [24 words]GabrielleJun 23, 2008 11:3624632
If Israel did not exist would the world be a safer place? [78 words]sharronAug 13, 2005 13:0824619
The real issue [231 words]ScottAug 8, 2005 02:3824418
Is Sharon Still the Sly Old Israeli Warrior With A Motive To His Madness [140 words]Arnold WolfAug 3, 2005 18:1524307
wonder [128 words]Brian FosterJul 31, 2005 14:0324156
The experiment of the creation of Israel has FAILED [63 words]Ali AdawiyaJul 28, 2005 16:1723963
Sharon is for the military strategy "the pullout" [113 words]Albert BelloJul 22, 2005 17:2823705
EXCELLENT ARTICLE AND BRILLIANT INSIGHT by Daniel Pipes [23 words]Z. WrotzlovskyJul 20, 2005 15:0023652
Well written! [49 words]Michael TamblerJul 19, 2005 21:5223619
Democracy? Peace? [189 words]Bella KaltmanJul 19, 2005 21:3323617
suicide, schmuicide [39 words]rafael ben davidJul 19, 2005 15:1023590
Long term vision and planning needed for long term peace [228 words]Steve SilverMay 27, 2005 23:5022455
The Gaza Pull-out [21 words]Pete GibsonMay 23, 2005 02:0422330
Responce to B. Bix [67 words]J. PennApr 25, 2005 13:2021799
On the forcible removal of citizens from their lawful homes [107 words]B. BixApr 18, 2005 18:5921712
1Really lawful? [78 words]Egypt SteveApr 17, 2005 20:0221700
Precedent [168 words]DanApr 15, 2005 12:3621680
The real folly-- settlement without annexation [108 words]Kalman NeumanApr 14, 2005 00:1821649
Removing Gaza residents from their homes [89 words]J. SheffApr 13, 2005 22:5621647
Gaza plan has strengthened Israel's position [419 words]Dan Harder, editor of Danish website Israel-Online.dkApr 13, 2005 19:5421644
Protective Measures [32 words]Casey O'ConnorApr 13, 2005 17:0521640
1Israel's democracy [320 words]Lisette MuradApr 13, 2005 08:2821615
There is a precedent. [121 words]Zev SafferApr 13, 2005 04:0021606
Sharon's folly - on balance, no [547 words]S.BrockwellApr 12, 2005 22:5721598
Skillful engineering of minds [120 words]Mordechai KramerApr 12, 2005 16:4621583
Muslims in Indian subcontinent in 1947 [327 words]Berjees TaajApr 12, 2005 10:5121566
wrong things [165 words]saraMay 11, 2011 12:5021566
Hong Kong and Macau [45 words]Robert MooneyApr 12, 2005 02:2621550
The Ultimate "Fighting Jew" [178 words]Dave M. O'NeillApr 12, 2005 01:3921547
Sharon's move [123 words]jack adamsApr 12, 2005 00:0821545
A golden opportunity! [88 words]Les CherowApr 11, 2005 23:1621542
India and Muslims [280 words]VijayApr 11, 2005 17:5321524
Response to Octavio Johanson's submission [162 words]Vijaykumar ChalasaniApr 11, 2005 16:3421518
Et l'Algérie alors? Don't forget Algeria 1962 [74 words]Georges CLEMENTApr 11, 2005 07:4821511
Hong Kong [131 words]Brian AllenApr 11, 2005 04:3721510
The deal's done - now what [43 words]RafiApr 10, 2005 21:1021509
Response to Eliyezer Ben Ari's "Eminent Domain" comment [74 words]Jim AndersonApr 9, 2005 12:3821497
Good Leadership implies change [173 words]Ross GordonApr 9, 2005 09:1521495
Maginot sindrome [134 words]KantorApr 8, 2005 18:3621490
Morally right [121 words]John HalloffApr 8, 2005 11:5721483
Israeli Tactics [70 words]Rob JamesApr 8, 2005 09:2821482
Painful decisions [31 words]Jaime EisenApr 8, 2005 00:0221480
Sharon is correct, partly [119 words]Walter ManchurApr 7, 2005 17:2521474
Gaza, the new Sudetenland [55 words]JorgenApr 7, 2005 16:1121471
Disengagement [91 words]Yo MenasheApr 7, 2005 13:5521469
With Israelis it is "withdrawal", with Palestinians, it is "expulsion" [114 words]IgnacioApr 7, 2005 07:1621463
Challenge to the reader [103 words]Lauren LokApr 7, 2005 06:5821462
Gush Katif [87 words]Rachel BotbolApr 7, 2005 02:4621459
A follow-up article would be welcome [29 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MarthaApr 7, 2005 01:5921458
Sharon has gone too far!! [299 words]Linda GoslinApr 6, 2005 22:2521456
Sharon's Folly fails US? [187 words]DebApr 6, 2005 22:0921455
RE: Dr. Pipes' response to the comment, "A Disaster In The Making" [89 words]YonasonApr 6, 2005 21:4421454
"Eminent Domain" clause does not fly! [247 words]Eliyezer Ben AriApr 6, 2005 16:1121450
Sharon is only the leader [36 words]John AuldApr 6, 2005 14:3421447
Sharon's forceful relocation of Israelis [138 words]Howard G MorganApr 6, 2005 13:2721446
Under what circumstances [154 words]IvanApr 6, 2005 13:2621445
Sharon's Folies [76 words]Tom RocklandApr 6, 2005 12:4821444
Give him (PM Sharon) a break! [298 words]Robert B. ArbetmanApr 6, 2005 12:4621443
Not Folly, but rather a rare opportunity [100 words]Chris ChrismanApr 6, 2005 11:5821441
Israel/US policy [19 words]kim segarApr 6, 2005 11:4021440
Sharon's Folly [45 words]Berton ZaslowApr 6, 2005 11:1521439
SHARON -- STRATEGIST AND SEER [79 words]Graham RaelbrookApr 6, 2005 10:4821438
One minor quibble [272 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
J. LichtyApr 6, 2005 10:0321437
Accepting the Challenge [21 words]Matthew DewarApr 6, 2005 09:5121436
Ariel Sharon's Folly [90 words]Menahem DunskyApr 6, 2005 09:1721435
Perhaps there is an upside [307 words]Kenneth S. BesigApr 6, 2005 08:5721434
Relative calm of 2001-03? [183 words]Stephen E. ConnorApr 6, 2005 08:2121433
Possibly there is a "method behind folly" [105 words]Srini VaradarajanApr 6, 2005 08:1721432
Who's behind Sharon's behavior? [245 words]Marcos BerensteinApr 6, 2005 07:5621430
Thank you [191 words]Pircha LottnerApr 6, 2005 06:3021429
Why stay with no water? [178 words]AndyApr 6, 2005 05:3321427
I disagree with your stand on the Gaza Pullout also [138 words]Abbie ApplesteinApr 6, 2005 03:2721425
"...to take private real estate for public use." But for whose "public," ours or theirs? [427 words]YonasonApr 6, 2005 03:0821424
FOURTH GENEVA CONVENTION GOVERNS [80 words]BobJan 27, 2006 15:5921424
As For International Law, I Believe You Are Correct, Bob, And... [44 words]orange yonasonJun 7, 2009 23:1321424
Sharon's Folly [25 words]Steven FishbeinApr 6, 2005 02:0621422
Sharon's and Bush's [89 words]Alain Jean-MairetApr 6, 2005 01:3021420
1Male Adumim [175 words]Moshe MoserApr 6, 2005 01:1221419
You are blaming the wrong party [284 words]Joseph MamelakApr 6, 2005 00:2421417
Untenable Gaza [86 words]Allen Newman, Montreal, CanadaApr 5, 2005 23:4721416
Gaza [156 words]Nora AmraniApr 5, 2005 22:3221413
Sharon and the settlements [129 words]Nora AmraniApr 5, 2005 22:2221412
A Disaster In The Making [89 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Doris J. SnyderApr 5, 2005 21:4021411
The Gaza Pull-out [161 words]MartinApr 5, 2005 21:3321410
Folly [87 words]Paul RinderleApr 5, 2005 20:4421408
Ariel Sharon Has A Past [167 words]YonasonApr 5, 2005 20:1921406
No Folly Then, No Folly Now [184 words]Saul RapkinApr 5, 2005 20:0821403
Forgetting something... [133 words]JosephApr 5, 2005 19:5921402
Another point [351 words]Yuri GuriApr 5, 2005 19:4921401
A disaster called Sharon [102 words]Batya daganApr 5, 2005 19:4021399
Gaza withdrawal [72 words]Bruce BoymanApr 5, 2005 19:3921398
Sharon the Wise [206 words]Dan WeilApr 5, 2005 19:2921396
Removal of settlers from territories [29 words]Karen EbleApr 5, 2005 19:2521395
Governments removing residents.... [24 words]Steve SwajaApr 5, 2005 19:1521394
Let's be realistic [52 words]Neila Charchour HachichaApr 5, 2005 18:5621393
Totally Disagree on Gaza [192 words]Robert SavetApr 5, 2005 18:5421392
American Indians [109 words]Ellyn L WoodApr 5, 2005 18:4021391
Exactly Right [165 words]Jonathan KeilerApr 5, 2005 18:3121390
rebuttal on Ariel Sharon article [296 words]Leo CharendoffApr 5, 2005 18:0921389
Israel's folly? [150 words]Melvin A. FechterApr 5, 2005 18:0621388
Sharon's Decision to Evacuate from Gaza [193 words]Jerrold KatzApr 5, 2005 17:5521387
Democracies seizing land isn't unprecedented... [110 words]Laurence SchreiberApr 5, 2005 17:2521386
My attempt to answer the challenge [249 words]Octavio JohansonApr 5, 2005 17:0621385
NOT SHARON'S FOLLY..IT'S THE PA BEING SQUEEZED [300 words]Martin SchwartzApr 5, 2005 16:4921383
The Wall [131 words]Marci MaysApr 5, 2005 16:2921382
Shades of gray [47 words]Herb JacobsonApr 5, 2005 16:2921381
Legal issues [61 words]Sigmund SilberApr 5, 2005 16:1421380
Democracies that legally and forcibly remove people from their houses [131 words]Kevin HealdApr 5, 2005 16:0421378
Forced removal in a democracy [158 words]jack adamsApr 5, 2005 15:5721377
a soldiers view [38 words]bernard j finestoneApr 5, 2005 14:5721373
I accept your challenge to the reader [29 words]Joshua BrookApr 5, 2005 14:4721371

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)