The State government’s decision to cut down the spending for minority student scholarships by half has met with a strong opposition from not only the Muslim and Christian communities, but also from the Opposition parties.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who is also chairman of the United Democratic Front (UDF), the main Opposition in the State, has questioned the government’s priorities, and said that liquor and related business was more important for the government. Mr. Satheesan asked the government to set its priorities right and to withdraw the decision to halve the minority scholarships.
He warned the government that the Opposition would protest against the move both inside and outside the Assembly. The government decision to halve nine minority scholarships, including Prof. Joseph Mundassery Scholarship Award, APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship, and Mother Teresa Scholarship, is expected to affect thousands of beneficiaries pursuing higher education in Kerala.
Affected scholarships
The government is trying to save ₹2.62 crore from the Prof. Joseph Mundassery Scholarship Award when the cut from the APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship will be ₹41 lakh. The government is also trying to save ₹85 lakh by cutting minority scholarship for foreign studies.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has blamed the Department of Minority Welfare for its inattention. The party has condemned the government move as biased. “There is a general rule that educational grants will not be touched for financial streamlining. But the government has not only violated that, but also displayed bias by leaving the grants for other sections like forward community, SC/ST and OBC communities untouched. The government should withdraw from this move,” said IUML State general secretary P.M.A. Salam.
‘Against Constitution’
Muslim Youth League State president Syed Munawwarali Shihab Thangal said that halving the scholarships was an injustice not only to the minority communities, but also to the Constitution. “Uplifting the backward minorities is a responsibility enshrined in the Constitution. Withdrawal of funds for their aid is akin to shirking that responsibility,” said Mr. Thangal.
The Syro-Malabar Church’s Public Affairs Commission too criticised the government for halving the minority scholarships. While demanding restoration of the scholarships in full, the commission expressed fears that the cut would disappoint thousands of students who applied and are awaiting scholarships.
Muslim Students Federation (MSF) State president P.K. Navas said that they would launch an agitation demanding that the government reverse the move. “Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behaving like Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said, describing the move as an agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Union govt. too
The Union government too had slashed minority scholarships like Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) and Begum Hazrat Mahal Scholarship a couple of years ago. The government had then been criticised as anti-minority.
Published – January 31, 2025 08:27 pm IST