Pew research discovered that 98% of Indian Muslims said that they are free to practice their religion in India, and only 2% answered that they were “not too free” to practice their religion, with virtually no one answering “not at all free”. These findings undermine the politicized narratives of anti-India activists who claim that Muslims in India are facing widespread discrimination.
Salvatore Babones, an American sociologist, used this Pew Research data in a Washington Examiner opinion piece. He made a comparison between the treatment of minorities in India and the US, the source of various stories that cast doubt on India’s democracy.
According to the Pew study, 80% of African-Americans, 46% of Hispanic Americans, and 42% of Asian Americans stated they experience “a lot of discrimination” in the U.S. when asked about religious freedom. If prejudice against Muslims exists in India, it seems to be significantly less severe than that experienced by all of the country’s main minorities.
Muslims living in India were questioned if they were “proud to be Indians”. 90% of respondents indicated they were extremely proud, while 4% said they were moderately proud. These numbers do not appear to be those of a nation on the verge of a genocide against Muslims.
The findings of the Pew study are significant because they challenge the prevailing narrative that Muslims in India are facing widespread discrimination and persecution. This narrative has been perpetuated by some international media outlets and human rights organizations, who have accused the Indian government of discriminating against Muslims.
However, the Pew study suggests that the reality on the ground is very different. Indian Muslims are not only free to practice their religion but are also generally satisfied with their lives and proud to be Indian. This is not to say that there are no instances of discrimination or prejudice against Muslims in India. However, the Pew study suggests that such instances are not as widespread as some activists claim.
