By Mohd. Islamil Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: A one-day symbolic protest was organized by editor of Siasat Urdu daily Zahid Ali Khan against the state Govt. order which has restricted the fee reimbursement for backward class Muslim students.
MS No. 30 which has restricted the fee reimbursement for backward class Muslim students.
MPJ activists showing solidarity
After the Supreme Court order for the uniform fee structure for all the management and convener quota seats in the professional colleges in Andhra Pradesh, professional colleges have increased the convener quota seats expenses to almost double the past amount. For example, earlier all engineering colleges used to provide convener quota seat for a fixed amount of Rs 35,000 per annum. Now after the Supreme Court guidelines majority of colleges have fixed the fee at Rs 55,000, some have increased it to Rs 75,000 and other top engineering colleges are planning to fix the fee amount to nearly Rs 1 lakh.
Govt. of A.P. which is already bearing burden of fee reimbursement scheme on the exchequer showed its reluctance in reimbursing the increased fee amount. According to the latest order of the Govt. (MS No. 30), Muslim BC (E) students who scored ranks in top 10,000 slots will only be eligible for the total reimbursement of fees. Others will get scholarship of Rs 35,000 and the remaining amount will have to be paid by them.
MSO actvists participating in protest
Leading the first organized protest meeting at Dharna Chowk, Indira Park here in Hyderabad against the decision of the Govt., Zahid Ali Khan, who is also a polit bureau member of Telugu Desam Party said that “Fee reimbursement scheme was introduced as gimmick by Congress govt. during the election period to gain the votes of Muslims. Congress is not serious on taking concrete decision for the economic prosperity of Muslims. Now the future of thousands of Muslim students is in peril.”
Coming under heavy pressure from SC, ST and OBC leaders, Govt. of A.P. has decided that students from SC, ST, and OBC will get the benefit of total fee reimbursement including the increased fee amount.
Zahid Ali Khan said Govt. is treating Muslim BCE students as step children compared to the students from SC, ST and OBC. He said, of the total budget of Rs 1.4 lakh crore Muslims which comprise 10% of state population get only 0.5 % allocation from the budget, now after snatching away the only buoyant scheme for Muslims, govt. has affected nearly 70% Muslim students in professional courses.
A professional field was a distant dream for poor Muslim students before this fee reimbursement scheme was launched. Now after the Govt. decision Muslim leaders are anticipating that economically backward Muslim students who have no access even to loans will find it difficult to pay the remaining increased fee amount which will be in between Rs 30,000-70,000.
Prof. M.A. Ansari of Osmania University in his speech said, out of top 10,000 EMCET rank in the state only 249 students are Muslims, for top 10,000 ranks in ICET for MBA 764 Muslims, and for MBBS in top ranks only 400 students are Muslims. He said due to the restriction of top 10,000 ranks only handful of Muslim students from BCE category will be eligible for total fee reimbursement.
Advocate Osman Shaheed said the recent decision of Govt. on fee reimbursement is biased and unconstitutional. He said under article 14 of the constitution all the citizens are given equal rights, which the Govt. is breaching by providing amenities to SC, ST and OBC students and denying same amenities to BC Muslim students.
MBT leader Amjedullah Khan said apart from the issue of fee reimbursement Muslim students are also facing difficulties in getting an income certificate every year. He said govt. should consider the income on ration card as the official income credential or else the working period of income certificate should be increased to five years. He also demanded that Govt. should increase the minimum income limit of Rs 1.lakh P.A. to Rs 2 lakh P.A. for BCE income certificate.
Many political leaders from different political spectrum participated in the demonstration to register their protest against the A.P. Govt.
Syed Aziz Pasha, CPI leader and former Rajya Sabha member criticized govt. vehemently. Mehmood Ali, TRS minority cell president spoke in the same tune of passionate protest. P. Madhu, former member of Lok sabha and CPI(M) leader continued his rhetoric against M.I.M as he alleged that Muslim elected representatives are not taking up Muslim issues properly. MBT working president Advocate Adam Malik also termed the situation a result of ‘hypocrites’ ruling over the community.
Students under the banner of Minority Students Union participated in the protest meeting. Some of the activists of Movement for Peace and Justice also participated in the protest meeting showing solidarity with protestors. Students Islamic Organization and Movement for Peace and Justice have already announced that they are going to start agitation against the cap on fee reimbursement for Muslim students.
Majlise-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has already registered their protest with the govt. against restricting fee reimbursement. As the monsoon session of legislative assembly has begun M.I.M with 7 MLAs is expected to raise this issue in the assembly on priority level.