Minority students’ body pushes for pre-matric scholarship in state – Indian Express
Express news service Posted online: Fri Aug 23 2013, 06:23 hrs
Ahmedabad : Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India has urged the state government to direct schools to smoothen the process of implementation of pre-matric scholarship for students belonging to poor families of minority communities.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, SIO’s state unit office-bearers said that some of the schools were creating obstructions for deserving students by not filling up the scholarship forms on grounds that they do not have a bank account.
“They say that students hardly have banks accounts and so it is taking time for them to open accounts for them due to lack of funds and other reasons. Schools did not accept students’ scholarship applications because of that,” one of them said.
They said that the state government should intervene and ensure that the banks open saving accounts for the students and direct the schools to help these students.
Without mentioning Chief Minister Narendra Modi, SIO secretary Dr Faruq Ahmed said that while “sadbhavna” fasts were held by those in the state government to promote social and communal harmony, the government refused to implement the Centre-sponsored pre-matric scholarship for minority students.
Dr Ahmed said the SIO had moved the issue in the Gujarat High Court. After the High Court decreed to implement the scheme, the state government moved the Supreme Court, which also upheld the scheme in its August 6 order.
“The poor should also have a share in development,” he said in reference to oft-repeated claims by Modi that all communities have an equal opportunity for growth and development in the state.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/1159031/
While the state government okayed the implementation of pre-matric scholarship programme for students from minority communities three months ago, banks and schools are proving to be hurdles. Office-bearers of Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) India made this allegation during a press meet in the city on Thursday.
A majority of the nearly 2 lakh potential beneficiaries of this scholarship scheme are Muslim. Others to benefit from the scheme include students from Sikh, Christian, Buddhist and Parsi communities.
According to zonal president of SIO Gujarat, Vaseef Hussain, the HC order to implement the scheme was only half the battle won.
“Wherever we have SIO units in the state, we provided computers and internet access to students for filling up the scholarship forms, after the HC verdict.
However, there were banks and schools that refused to cooperate with us in opening accounts for loans, and accepting students’ forms,” he said. While the body convinced some of them to stamp and sign the forms and even open bank accounts, many students were left in the lurch, Hussain added.
“The state government should take up the responsibility of ensuring the scheme’s proper implementation. If the issue persists, we will make a representation to them, and ask them for a solution,” said Dr Faruk Ahmed, zonal secretary of SIO Gujarat. Further, Ahmed said that Gujarat government did not seem too bothered about students from minority communities.
“Their Sadbhavana (compassion) could be seen when they took the matter to Supreme Court after the Gujarat HC’s order was not in their favour,” he alleged.
http://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/1878698/report-schools-banks-obstruct-minority-scholarships
epaper.patrika.com/150683/Patrika-Ahmedab/23-08-2013#page/3/2
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