Rs 625 crore for aided status to 35 madrasa-linked schools
S Chandrasekhar
The Oommen Chandy regime’s move to accord aided status to 35 madrasa-linked schools owned by Muslim League leaders and Trusts have evoked widespread protest throughout Kerala. The Muslim League and Chief Minister lied to Kerala, when they said the addition commitment of the state is only Rs 52 crore. Now media reports have come out that the additional commitment is approximately Rs 52 crore per month, i.e. an annual commitment of a whooping Rs 625 crore, a burden to be borne by the poor Hindu taxpayers of Kerala.
Followed by BJP, NSS, SNDP and CPM, opposition is also coming from right thinking Congress leaders. Pro-Congress Students Union (KSU) and Teachers Union have come out against this move to appease Muslim League. KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala is wild that cabinet has decided on this without discussing in KPCC and UDF. Other constituents of UDF including Kerala Congress, whose Finance Minister KM Mani’s department has opposed this move, have come out against this outrageous move. The church, which also owns hundreds of educational institutions, has opposed this.
The entire opposition led by VS Atchudanandan walked out from Kerala Assembly, protesting the decision. They said the UDF which is still grappling with the political calamity due to 5th Ministership given to Muslim League is scratching its head with fire by inciting socio-political polarisation. They continued that the departments headed by Muslim League like Education, PWD, Industries, Local Administration are catering only to the Muslims of Kerala.
ABVP and BJYM workers, who blocked Education Minister Abdu Rabb, were brutally lathicharged. The BJP organised a massive protest outside the Secretariat on June 30. The leaders charged that Congress has disgraced Kerala by surrendering to Muslim League. They said Kerala is not ruled from Thiruvananthapuram, but from Panakkad in Malappuram, the residence of Muslim League president Hyder Ali Thangal.
“Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala have become mute witnesses with total surrender to Muslim League. Oommen Chandy has to get nod from Panakkad for every decision. The parallel administration is spreading unrest, destroying Kerala’s fragile social fabric and education sector. Over and above the Calicut University and upcoming Amu Campus, the English and Malayalam Universities are proposed to come in Malappuram. 40 acres of government land has been allotted for English University in Panakkad and land is being allotted for the Malayalam Varsity at Aazvanchery in Malappuram. Local Self Governments have been directed to contribute crores of rupees to a Trust in the name of late Muslim League leader CH Mohammed Koya. The departments ruled by Muslim League have been packed with Muslim officials,” they charged.
NSS accused the UDF of appeasing minorities and asked the Muslim League to be divested of Education portfolio, since there is anarchy in the Department. The SNDP general secretary has cautioned that unbridled power at the hands of Muslim League is dangerous for future Kerala. He has opined that weakening of CPM, will only strengthen Muslim League.
There is immense pressure on UDF to reconsider its decision as Congress leaders feel UDF is getting isolated in a fast-polarising socio-political situation. The UDF met on July 4. There are reports that there is pressure on Muslim League, not be press further in the face of mounting protests. With 22 MLAs, 5 Ministers, a Minister of State at Delhi who is dreaming of Cabinet Ministership in the reshuffle (E Ahmed), and control over 60 per cent of Kerala’s budget, it remains to be seen whether League will press further and get isolated. After disputed structure destruction in Ayodhya, it moved away from Congress, but left in the lurch, it silently walked back into Congress camp. The Muslim League wants the Congress, than the reverse. The earlier Congress forsakes Jawaharlal Lal Nehru’s dead horse, Muslim League, the better.
To what extend the Muslim League can go to pursue its agenda was demonstrated when a Muslim Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Project officer Aliyar asked the lady teachers to come in green blouses and Kerala sarees for a function to be attended by Education Minister Abdu Rabb! Following BJP, CPM protests Aliyar has been suspended and enquiry ordered.
