Muslims' survey raises eyebrows

Thiruvananthapuram -A survey conducted by a US-based agency in certain Muslim-dominated areas of the capital has sent intelligence agencies into a tizzy.

Home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said that Central help was being sought to unravel the mystery, if any, behind the exercise.According to residents of the Karimadom colony in the heart of the city, the survey conducted on October 2 had several entries which were directed at Muslims and some even questioned their patriotic spirit.

"'Which country will you prefer to go if you want to live outside India?' 'Do you like Osama Bin Laden', and 'Do you hate Israel' were some of the questions they asked,'' said Ayesha Beevi, a housewife of the colony.

She said the team which comprised mostly women of a local agency spent more than an hour interviewing each family.

The questionnaire had about 85 questions out of which one-third was meant for Muslim families. These also included entries about their religious practices, whether they wore a burqa and their opinion on the Obama administration among other things.

Though the police let off the women who conducted the survey, a complaint has been registered against the Kochi-based agency which hired them for Washington-based Princeton Survey.

"We will seek the help of the Union government and its agencies to find out the motive behind such surveys which are being conducted as marketing exercises," said Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

DHNS -Nov 4, 2010