The Central government has filed its affidavit in the Apex Court responding to the order of the Supreme Court to clear its stand on the Minority Scholarship Scheme, the constitutional validity of which was challenged by the Government of Gujarat. The Centre has strongly criticised the state government for its opposition to the scheme. The scheme is for students belonging to five religious minorities, including Muslims, whose parents have annual income below Rs 1 lakh. In this scheme launched in 2008, the Central government gives 75 per cent of the scholarship amount while states have to bear the rest 25 per cent. The apex court had issued a notice to Centre on 7 May on Gujarat government’s plea challenging the constitutional validity of the scheme. The state government argued the Centre’s scholarship for minorities is a scheme based on religion and the Centre cannot compel the state to implement it and that a similar scheme was in place in the state for all poor students irrespective of their religions.
CENTRE’S RESPONSE AGAINST GUJARAT’S PLEA ON MINORITY SCHOLARSHIP
The Central government has filed its affidavit in the Apex Court responding to the order of the Supreme Court to clear its stand on the Minority Scholarship Scheme, the constitutional validity of which was challenged by the Government of Gujarat. The Centre has strongly criticised the state government for its opposition to the scheme.
