KOZHIKODE: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that an impression has been created deliberately that the minorities are getting more than what is due to them.
Inaugurating the new building of the Kerala Waqf Board regional office here on Saturday, he said there is a situation in the country where minority rights are robbed off them.
“We will take a strong stand against such attempts. No one will be evicted in the name of waqf but at the same time the rights of minorities will be protected,” he said ostensibly referring to the Munambam controversy.
Pinarayi expressed concern over the developments related to waqf at the national level. “Efforts are moving at a great pace to amend the Waqf Act. The Joint Parliamentary Committee has submitted its report without considering the 500-odd suggestions from opposition parties,” he said.
The chief minister said the Central government has gone back to protecting the rights of the minorities. There is a significant decline in the allocation of funds for the financial projects for the minorities. The state government has introduced pre-matric scholarships considering the development.
“The government has earmarked a total of Rs 106 crore in the budget for various projects for the minorities in the state,” he said. The CM said that the development of minorities is not the development of any particular minority community, but the overall development of society.
Minister for Waqf V Abdurahiman, Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas, MPs P V Abdul Wahab, M K Raghavan, MLAs Ahmed Devarkovil and P Ubaidulla were among those who attended the function.