The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of misleading the people about the Muslim-Christian ratio of 80:20% in government scholarships that the High Court quashed on Friday.
“It was the LDF government that issued the orders in 2011 by diluting a scheme meant exclusively for the Muslim students. The court has found those orders legally invalid. The government should make its stand clear on the issue,” said IUML national general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, MLA, and national working secretary E.T. Mohammed Basheer, MP, here on Saturday.
Displaying the orders issued by the V.S. Achuthanandan government in 2011, Mr. Kunhalikutty and Mr. Basheer accused the LDF of lying all these years and blaming the United Democratic Front (UDF) government for the mistake.
“True that we (UDF government) did not change it as it was a very sensitive matter. But the LDF shamelessly went about blaming the UDF government led by Oommen Chandy for its mistake. The same happened in its allegation that crores of rupees had been spent by way of pension for madras teachers. The fact is that no public money has been spent for madras teachers’ pension,” they said.
The first government order dated January 31, 2011, reserved up to 20% admission for non-Muslim minority and backward communities in the five competitive exam training centres opened for the Muslim youth in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur/Kasargod on the basis of a recommendation by the Paloli Mohammed Kutty Commission for addressing the Muslim backwardness.
In another order dated February 22, 2011, the government reserved for Latin Catholic and converted Christians 20% of the scholarship and hostel stipend being given to Muslim girls. The 20% reservation for Christian girls was made following demands from various quarters. The scholarship and stipend had been introduced for Muslim girls following a recommendation by the Paloli Commission, which had been set up for the implementation of the Sachar Committee Report in Kerala.
“It was a fundamental mistake made by the LDF government in 2011. It was the LDF government that destroyed a scheme introduced exclusively for the Muslim community,” Mr. Kunhalikutty said. “Instead of bringing about a different scheme for other minorities like Latin Catholics, the government diluted the one meant for Muslim students and caused the current mess.”
According to him, had the government in 2011 dealt with this matter properly, the current situation could have been avoided.
Mr. Basheer said that it ought to be examined what the government told the court. “Everyone knows that the Sachar Committee did not examine the issue of minorities, but rather it examined the backwardness of Muslims in the country and found that they were way behind even the scheduled communities. A scheme formulated 100 %for Muslim girls as part of addressing this backwardness was altered, leading to the court judgment,” he said.
The IUML leaders said that they never wanted to harm the communal equations in the State. “All minorities should get the benefits they deserve,” they said. However, they warned the people to be vigilant against attempts from some quarters to create communal divide.
