Social Democratic Party of India

Thiruvananthapuram: Mystery surrounds over a survey conducted in Muslim populated area here on behalf of an American agency. The survey was conducted at Karimadom Colony, home to about a 100 poor families on Oct 2, by a Kochi-based organisation for the Washington-based Princeton Survey Research Associate International.
Though the survey was done last month it became public only when some TV channels brought the news out yesterday. Some questions in the survey which are meant to measure Muslim’s allegiance and loyalty to their homeland and to question their patriotism are real causes of concern. It is not clear why this survey was conducted and with whose permission.
Feeling suspicious about the 83-page questionnaire and its contents, especially about 30 questions that needed to be answered only by Muslims, the locals immediately reported the matter to police. The police registered a complaint against the organisation but let off the five-member woman survey team.
The questions that needed to be answered by Muslim respondents only were about how religious they were, whether they wore the burqa, their opinion on US President Barack Obama administration, about Middle East issues, Israel, Bangladesh Muslims, among others.
The survey starts with questions to know about respondent’s attitude towards Indian Prime Minister, national government, Indian military etc. Some of the questions are having preconceived notions that Muslims are against democracy and governments of the country. The survey is also meant to ‘measure’ their ‘respect’ towards persons like Usama Bin Ladin, Hasan Nasrullah of Husbullah, Ahmedinejad, the president of Iran, and organizations like Jamaath-e-Islami and Lashkar-e-Thayyiba etc. Here are some questions in the survey:
1. Do you consider yourself first as a Muslim or as an Indian citizen?
2. Are you of the opinion that Shari-ath law should be enacted in the place of official laws of the country?
3. Do you support the view that those who are trying to oppose your beliefs should be fought against?
4. If a fidayeen get killed during a bomb attack, can it be justified as an Islamic act?
5. Is it right to vote for a candidate who is having other religious belief?
6. Why do you believe that persons like Usama Bin Laden are enjoying popularity?
7. What is your opinion about Iran? If u support why?
8. What is your attitude towards America and Israel and why?
9. Do you believe that America is against Muslims?
10. Do you support America’s Afghan policy?
Kerala government has decided to seek central government help to unravel the mystery behind the motive of the survey as per the recommendation of state intelligence that looked into the issue. 'We will seek the help of the central government and its agencies to find out why this happened here and for whom this was done and all other details,' State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters here Wednesday.