......Yet, there is some good news. Infant and child mortality among Muslims is less than the national average. More significantly, there is hardly any instance of female foeticide in the community. But this is no thanks to the government. Rather, the community that breaks bread together with fewer taboos than caste-divided Hindu society looks out for each other in the ghettoes where they are increasingly pushed into. Dr Sharif says quite bluntly: "No government scheme has helped Muslims. Zilch." With a note of sarcasm, he adds, "But they seem to be very enthusiastic about making Muslims swallow polio drops."
Sharif offers another remarkable fact. His data shows that whatever be their level of education, Muslim labour is more productive than the national average. In short, there are positives around which a regeneration can be built.
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