Kharge hits out at Modi govt for stopping scholarships for minority students

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday asked the Modi government what will it gain by snatching away the money from poor students a day after it stopped scholarships for minority students of classes 1 to 8On Tuesday the government limited its prematric scholarship scheme meant for minority communities to students of classes 9 and 10 stating that the Right to Education Act covers compulsory education up to class 8 for all studentsEarlier the prematric scholarship used to cover education for grades 1 to 8 as well as for students belonging to minority communities SC and ST students are covered from classes 9 and 10 only on a fulltime basis under the prematric scholarship schemeAlso read Delhi HC allows Mehbooba Mufti to withdraw plea challenging PMLA provisionNarendra Modi ji your Government has shut down Pre Matric Scholarship meant for SC ST OBC and Minority students of Class 1 to Class 8 What is the point of depriving scholarships to poor students How much will your Government earn or save by snatching this money from poor students Kharge askedThe government in a notice justified its decision by underlining that the Right to Education RTE Act 2009 makes it obligatory for the government to provide free and compulsory elementary education classes I to VIII to each and every childAccordingly only students studying in classes IX and X are covered under the PreMatric Scholarship Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice amp Empowerment and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs Likewise from 202223 the coverage under the prematric scholarship scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs shall also be for classes IX and X only the notice saidThe decision drew sharp reactions from political parties with the Congress and BSP accusing the government of a conspiracy against the poorThe BJP has been continuously doing such things for the past eight years whether it was cutting the budget of SCSTOBC and minorities or it was about atrocities against them or ending their welfare schemes and now this We do not accept this We will run a movement against it Immediately take back this decision Congress leader Randeep Surjewala saidBSP leader Danish Ali claimed that the government has found a new way to keep these poor children away from education by stopping the scholarship given to minority students between classes 1 and 8Yes dont forget that educated children take the country forward irrespective of the community they belong to Ali tweetedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever