how were the Muslims treated after 1857?
Answers
Answer:
The British government consciously discriminated against the Muslims, holding them responsible for the uprising of 1857. They also took part in Wahabi Movement. These events made the British look at Muslims with suspicion which resulted in indiscriminate treatment towards the Muslims.
It may not be entirely correct to say that the British purposely put down muslims after 1857 in favour of Hindus. In our Independence struggle there were many muslim leaders who carried much weight of importance and opinion leadership. The british simply wanted to divide Indian society and create rift between the two communities to drive their agenda of dividing India before leaving, like they did in Arabia etc. Then Jinnah became virulently anti Hindu, even after he was offered the govt by Gandhi, and demanded and got a separate Pakistan. Muslim condition was always the dominant one over Hindus, as long as they ruled over the majority Hindus, before the British. They simply produce too many children for their own financial good and hence project a backward image. If only they reduced their family size, they would be financially able to get their children educated and brought up better than they do now. Also their leaders prefer to keep them in poverty and under their political ‘thumb’, so that they can rule over the community , to keep their vote bank intact. In our old Hyderabad state, the aristocrats of the muslim community were highly westernised and never wore burqas nor did they appear backward. It is only the politically motivated razakars that created the hatred towards Hindus and tried to change the demography by killing all Hindus rapidly. Sardar Patel put and end to that pogrom with the police action and showed them their place in the new dispensation. But now with the advent of tech degrees and high incomes, most muslims are quite well off , also with NRI incomes from expats abroad, the families have prospered. So the situation has changed much better for them.