TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Patna: Billboards put up by the Bihar Government shows Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hugging a topi-clad Muslim. The billboard lists number of schemes that the government has launched for the Muslims of the state promising respect and development for the minorities. But how sincere is Nitish Kumar administration in the progress of the Muslims?
Take for example, Bihar Chief Minister’s much publicized Mukhyamantri Cycle Yojna for girls students. This scheme intended for girls students in government schools, was launched in March. Under the scheme girls studying till Class 9 in government schools were to be gifted free bicycles.
Bihar Human Development Ministry order to keep Minority Schools out of this scheme created a storm in the state. It gave an order denying free cycles to minority schools.
Bihar Government discriminatory order is being questioned by the minority community. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is working hard to show his government seriousness of handling minority community problems but this order has poured cold water over it.
While talking to CNN-IBN, The Principal of a minority school, Mohammad Naqui reacted to the news saying “we trusted the government, but we don’t know what lower officials are up to.”
Government is considering reversal of the order after media highlighted this issue.
Few recent incidents have created some doubts in the mind of minority community about government’s seriousness about issues related to them.
Earlier this year, hundreds of poor minority students, mainly Muslims, were deprived of a central government post-matriculation scholarship when state government failed to forward the forms in time.
In May, National Commission of Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) chairman M.S.A. Siddiqui has cut short his official visit to Bihar and returned to New Delhi barely two-and-a-half hours after landing in Patna. He was unhappy over being ignored despite being a state guest. There was no official to receive him at the airport, nor was there any senior official at the guest house to apprise him of the engagements as per the protocol. He was expected to meet top officials including the Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to discuss the educational status of minorities in the state.