Government violate minority rights, say Karnataka Catholics

(11.07. 2012) In southern India’s Kanataka State, Catholic believers and clergy plan to turn to the Supreme Court in an attempt to stop the state government from violating minority rights. Speaking to AsiaNews, Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore and president of the Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops' Council (KRCBC), slammed some statements made by the state's former chief minister, D V Sadananda Gowda, which could cripple minority schools. For the latter, only schools where 75 per cent of the students are from minority communities would be granted "minority status". Otherwise, they would not be entitled the privileges provided by the Right to Education Act, which imposes compulsory education between 6 and 14. The Supreme Court ruled on 14 April, that public and private schools must establish a 25 per cent quota for poor students. However, the court exempted minority schools that are not publicly funded. Archbishop Moras, who will lead a delegation representing 95 Catholic educational societies before the courts, said state authorities are only playing with the definition of minority schools in order "to persecute, intimidate and harass" the vulnerable Christian community. The archbishop is equally critical of the state government's attempt to turn Karnataka in a Hindu state. "The authorities have introduced in school textbooks the word 'saffranisation', as well as elements of Hindu mythology and philosophy to shape the minds of young people. We challenged this, but no one has done anything, except the government, which has spent 111 million rupees (US$ 2 million) to print its books. We are not alone in this struggle," Archbishop Moras said. "Sikh and Muslim communities are also concerned. The government is after every minority. All we demand is to see our constitutional rights respected and guaranteed," he added.