Muslims just 3% in Army but account for 6% of martyrs

By TCN Staff Writer,

New Delhi: India’s largest religious minority – which accounts for about 15% of the nation’s population – is just 3% in the Army. But when it comes to martyrdom, the Army jawans from the community double the percentage. In 2010, as many as 187 armymen laid their life while protecting the nation – more than 6% of them were Muslims.

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According to the figures provided by the Army, the nation lost 15 Officers, 13 Junior Commissioned Officers and 159 men during 2010 in various operations – 12 of the martyrs were Muslims, that is 6.41%. Another interesting point is that 10 of 12 were in the infantry unit of the Army.

“Today as we complete 62 years of ‘Army Day’ (on 14th Jan) it gives me great pleasure to be amongst you all. My best wishes for a Happy New Year to all of you and through you to all our countrymen, to tell them that we rededicate and renew our pledge as the Army of this great Nation, to uphold our secular and democratic values as also our resolve to ensure the integrity and safety of our great Nation,” said General VK Singh, Chief of Army Staff in his address to the Army on 14th January.

However, in all these 62 years since Independence, there has been but secularism when it came to recruitment in the armed forces. But whenever the question of low presence of Muslims in the Army is raised the move is seen anti-national and divisive.

Some years ago, late scholar Dr Omar Khalidi had raised the question more emphatically than anyone when he came up with his well-researched and documented historic book Khaki and Ethnic Violence. The book talked about headcount in the Army, and thus led to heated debate in Parliament.

Inspired with the work when five years back Justice Rajinder Sachar Committee panel, during its deliberations and study on marginalization of the Muslim community in the society, hinted that there should be a headcount in the Army and number of Muslims in the armed forces could be counted, the panel was opposed against the proposed headcount on basis of religion.

There is no official report on community-wise strength of Army. However, the strength of Muslims is roughly counted around 3%. The proportion is too low. This figures out as out of a Muslim population of nearly 150 million (15 crore), barely 29,000 Muslims are in the million-strong Indian Army. The figure will further go down if the number of Muslims serving in J&K infantry that has over 50% Muslims is excluded.

However, in the last few years, there has been move from the Central government to recruit more minority members in the armed forces.

Muslim Armymen who got martyrdom in 2010

Click here for full list of 187 Martyrs in 2010