By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Nuh :Â While Union Government, particularly its Human Resources Development Ministry, is taking measures to uplift the Muslim community by launching various schemes, officials responsible for releasing grants under the Sarv Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA) scheme in the Mewat region of Haryana are allegedly throwing "pay money to get money" offers to madrasa managements.
Administrators of about a dozen madrasas in the district had even sent a joint complaint to the education department and Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan director in this regard, but not much has changed at the ground level.
Under the SSA scheme, Rs 1,000 is earmarked for every Muslim pupil studying in a madrasa. There are around 100 madrasas under the SSA scheme in the district and roughly about 250 students are enrolled with each of the madrasas. There are acquisitions that officials are demanding as much as 50% of the grant as bribe, which gives an idea about the total amount being siphoned out by corrupt officials.
Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Maulana Ilyas Nadwi, who runs three educational institutions in the region and is also on Mewat Education Board, confirmed the officials' corrupt motive.
"Many madrasa teachers have reported to me that education department officials are demanding money to release the grant; they have spread their agents who are contacting madrasa managements. One teacher informed me that one official asked him just to put his signature on a form and have the money. But madrasa managements have resisted the demand of bribe. However there are some maktabs or small madrasas whose functionaries have succumbed to the corrupt officials' demand to get whatever amount is being given to them after deducting the bribe-money," he said.
Mufti Shamsuddin Nadwi, who runs a middle school at Shikrawa in Mewat region, told TwoCircles.net that Ulema had held a meeting long ago to discuss how to deal with the officials who were demanding money for releasing the grant. "It is as per the decision taken in the said meeting that some madrasa managements have formally complained to the education director against the corrupt practice of the officials. However some greedy functionaries of madrasas have received the soft money."
Director of Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, P Raghavendra Rao also confirmed the complaint when he said, "Some people did meet me and made a complaint in this regard, and I have already spoken to the deputy commissioner and an inquiry has been ordered by him. Whoever is found guilty would be punished.'"