Months after winning the state assembly election in Karnataka, the Congress party has apparently disappointed several Muslims over the allocation of nominal funds for the sustenance of the state’s Urdu Academy and Minorities Commission. Speaking to The New Indian Express, former advisor to former PM VP Singh, Syed Ashraf expressed his disappointment over the post of Urdu Academy’s chairperson being vacant for the last two years.
Pointing out that the Rs 1 lakh per annum grant allocated for the maintenance of the Academy is insufficient, Asraf said that the per day spent if 1 lakh is divided by 365 is merely around Rs 274. He added that with such meagre funds, it is impossible for the Urdu Academy to get their books or literature published.
Ashraf expressed his disappointment over the Congress government continuing with the Rs 1 lakh grant for the Urdu Academy announced by the previous BJP government instead of raising the amount.
“A sum of Rs 1 lakh was announced by Basavaraj Bommai, but after coming to power, the Congress has continued with it. Urdu is associated only with Muslims, whereas the same language was spoken and written by former PM IK Gujral and former Karnataka CM Dharam Singh. Did not expect the Karnataka government to allocate such meagre funds,” Ashraf said.
Moreover, Syed Ashraf also reportedly slammed the state’s Waqf and Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan over his “failure” to speak up for the Muslim community and get additional funds allocated to the Urdu Academy.
Asraf further stated that Congress leader Zameer Khan had an Urdu certificate, but if he had been a scholar, he would have understood things better.
Moreover, Ashraf said that a representation will be given to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the next day or two, and a copy will be shared with the AICC head office in New Delhi. According to Alam Pasha, an activist and researcher, community leaders manipulate sentiments to gain votes but fail to stand with the community when necessary.
