Mysuru: Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait has urged the State Government to introduce special schemes for the Muslim community across various sectors, particularly education, to offset the neglect shown by the Central Government towards minorities.

Speaking at the National Education Day at Jaganmohan Palace auditorium yesterday, Sait highlighted the challenges faced by minority students. He noted that over 1.5 million minority students previously benefited from scholarships, but the Central Government’s recent withdrawal of these benefits has caused significant hardships.

He stressed the importance of State-initiated special programmes for the minority community in all sectors, particularly education, to help students excel in competitive exams like IAS and KAS.

Sait also criticised the Centre for suspending reservations for minorities, Dalits and backward classes, accusing it of shirking its responsibilities. He appealed to the State Government to step in and provide scholarships to ensure equal opportunities.

Advocates for learning Kannada

Sait emphasised that Muslims in Karnataka should prioritise learning Kannada, asserting that it poses no threat to the community. “Kannada is the language of our State, and administration can only function effectively when we learn to read, write and communicate in it. While Urdu is a valuable language, it should not dominate the community’s identity,” he said.

Acknowledging the Supreme Court’s stance on the freedom of parents to choose schools and mediums of instruction, Sait urged the community to balance this choice wisely. He expressed concern over the economic struggles of Muslim families, where children often work at an early age to support their households.

He described the dire living conditions of such families as ‘heart-breaking’ and called for immediate interventions to keep children in school.

The 50 percent of the Muslim community in Karnataka resides in rural areas, yet less than 3 percent own agricultural land. He highlighted the lack of access to Government benefits in the agricultural sector, urging the State to support Muslim farmers with resources and farming machinery.

He called for actionable plans based on existing Government reports on the socio-economic conditions of the community to bridge the gap.