The Government of Gujarat has recently filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, terming the centre’s Minority Scholarship Scheme an arbitrary and discriminatory in nature. Moreover, the affidavit states that the committee constituted by the central government under Justice (Rtd) Rajinder Sachar is unconstitutional as its report targets to help Muslims only.
The Gujarat government has recently moved the Apex Court against the verdict of Gujarat High Court ratifying the scholarship scheme meant for students belonging to five religious minorities. Under the scheme the centre and state share the financial burden with the ratio of 3:1. Earlier, the Gujarat government had declined to sanction the scholarship, saying this creates discrimination among students on religious and communal lines. “The Scheme causes hostile discrimination between citizens since far more meritorious students, who do not belong to any of the five religions, will be deprived of the benefits,” maintains the Gujarat government.