By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Lucknow: Alleging large-scale discrimination with Muslim students in providing scholarships, eminent Shia cleric and Imam-e-Juma Maulana Kalbe Jawwad on Monday demanded Chief Minister Mayawati’s intervention in the matter.
“The state machinery is working on war-footing to provide benefits of government schemes to backward classes and dalits but for muslims they are not answerable to anyone, the CM should personally look into the matter for the welfare of Muslims,” retorted Jawwad.
Jawwad, who is also a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) also threatened to reveal the partisan attitude of officials using Right to Information (RTI) tool in discriminating the muslim students.
“Across the state, the minority welfare officers in each distict does not have any clear cut last date for submission of scholarship forms. They just turn away the needy Muslim students. The scholarship meant for the Muslim students is thus serving as a tool to earn money by the greedy officials,” said Jawwad. Citing the figures, the cleric stated that central government has sanctioned nearly 334000 scholarships for high school students, 64900 for post-high school students from minority community and another 3245 merit-cum-means scholarships. However, till date just 5-6000 students have been given the benefit after greasing the palms of officials.
“We will take this issue in upcoming elections. The candidates and their parties have to answer their querries regarding exploitation of Muslim students,” said Jawwad.
Elaborating the prevailing conditions, Jawwad stated that minority welfare department usually does not accepts forms from minority institutions. They also keep the last date and other information under the carpet so that there are few applicaitons. He also requested the Director, Minority Welfare, Shahabuddin and other officials to take the schemes related to muslim upliftment on priority and implement them seriously.