The Global Research Group Inc, a US-based organisation that conducts scholarly research on the Islamic world, has said that it’s conducting a study on Indian Muslims.

“Our project is titled ‘Muslims in India’. The project began in January 2007 and we hope to conclude it by the end of 2009,” said Kathryn M Coughlin, president of the group, who is in the city on a fact-finding mission.

Unlike other existing reports on South Asia available to the West, the present study focuses exclusively on Indian Muslims. It will take into account not only the existing statistics but also opinions of a cross-section of people.

“Justice V S Dave-led commission of enquiry on Gujarat riots of 1985, Justice Sachar-led committee’s findings on the status of Muslims, available government statistics, media reports and members of the Muslim community — we are looking at all of these,” Kathryn added.

She further said, “What we have gathered so far, reveals that it is not the religious beliefs that prompt widespread discrimination. It is the lack of education as well as upward economic pressure.”