Whither Kerala?

1. An unofficial report of the Home ministry prepared, with inputs from the central agencies and the police say that every year about 1,200 Keralites are converting to Islam! And it's not 'love jihad', adds the report. Though it's more personalised and individual based, the report says that outfits like the SDPI and the Popular Front have encouraged such conversions using their religion, money and law to achieve it. The following outfits, also, work on conversions:-

      * Maunathul Islam Sabha, Ponnani
      * Therbithuyal Islam Sabha, Kozhikode
      * Sathyasarini, Manjeri.

2. The salient features are:-

      * @ About 1,200 per year.
      * Predominantly, the youth.
      * No political influence.
      * The conversions are more in the Malabar area.
      * In Malabar, Thrissur district has the maximum number of conversions.

3. The breakdowns under which conversions have taken place are equally interesting to note viz.:-

     (a) Reasons.
           Love                            61%
           Poverty                         8%
           Mental Agony              7%
           Media Influence           7%
           Others                         22%

     (b) Families Affected.
           Nuclear Families         65%
           Joint Families              32%
           Others                            3%

     (c) Educational Background.
           Those Who Haven't Completed High School       34.6%
           Those Completed High School                             44.7%
           Graduates                                                              10.7%
           Post Graduates                                                        4%

     (d) Political Relationships.
           CPI(M)                        17%
           Congress                       8%
           BJP                               2%
           CPI                               0.8%
   
     (e) Agewise Breakup.
           18 - 25                           39%
           25 - 35                           35%
           35 - 45                           19%
               > 45                             7%

     (f)  Castewise Breakup.
           Backward castes            64.6%
           Nairs                              10%
           Brahmins                         6.7%
           Catholics/Christians      17.4%
           Scheduked castes/tribes  7.3%

Aren't all religions equal? So, what's the need to convert? Or are the ones, better off, not interested to understand the plight of those who flock for conversion without any coercion, whatsoever?


Tailpiece.

The Kids of Today Are Evolved.

Jahnvi, a three year old and Mohanachandran's granddaughter, is the darling of her parents. When he was admitted, they'd come down from Bangalore. Professional compulsions made them return as Vinu had to get back to work. But when his dad's condition had worsened, Vinu and Bhavya had decided to go to Thiruvananthapuram, leaving the little one with the maid who was from their 'neck of the woods'. The alibi provided to the kid was that the dad had suddenly developed some medical complications and had to undergo a medical check up at Thiruvananthapuram.

The kid tells the maid, "I know that they're telling me lies. Appukkuttan(She calls her granddad that) must be in a bad condition. I shall pray for him!"