Minorities Commission to take action against raid on school

Mangaluru, Aug 18 (PTI) Karnataka State MinoritiesÂ’Commission would take "suitable action" against those whorecently ‘raided’ a school in Bondantila near here allegedlyfor teaching Urdu and Arabic languages. Sri Rama Sena (SRS) activists had raided St ThomasAided Higher Primary School on July 30 alleging that Urdu andArabic were being ‘forcibly’ taught to students. Cases of trespass and rioting were registered againstthe right-wing activists and several SRS members werearrested. The Commission which had judicial powers would takeaction against persons who raided the school for allegedlytaking Arabic and Urdu classes, CommissionÂ’s Chairperson,Balkis Banu said in a release here. Action would be taken after receiving reports from theDeputy Commissioner and the City Police Commissioner. Banu who visited the school yesterday had gathereddetails from the management, teachers and parents. The school management was teaching Arabic, German andother foreign languages to equip them with a variety ofskills. Arabic was taught since the language would help studentswho go to the gulf in search of jobs, she said. The state government had recently conferred judicialpowers on the commission, Banu said. It had the powers of a civil court and can summon peopleto appear before it. The commission was aware of the issues faced by schoolsrun by minorities in obtaining recognition certificate. If 25 per cent of the students in such institutions werefrom minority communities, they should get minority status,she said. PTI MVG RCRGMVV