Demand raised in LS for restoring pre-matric scholarship, Maulana Azad Fellowship for minorities

Two parliamentarians demanded in Lok Sabha that the pre-matric scholarship and Maulana Azad Fellowship for minority students be restored, saying how will the country progress if the minority community is left behind.

The Maulana Azad Fellowship for minority students pursuing higher education has been scrapped while the government's pre-matric scholarship for them will no longer apply to students from Class I to Class VIII.

Raising the demand during a discussion on the supplementary demands for grants, BSP MP Danish Ali said the pre-matric scholarship and Maulana Azad Fellowship must be restored.

"For prosperity of the country everyone needs to be taken along. How can you leave minorities behind and prosper," he said.

AIMIM MP Syed Imitiaz Jaleel also raised the demand.

"How will minority students study, how will they progress if this fellowship is stopped," he said.

Ali also spoke on the impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on small traders.

"'Gabbar Singh Terror' is scaring small traders. GST raids are targeting poor traders, not rich industrialists. The prime minister wanted people to sell 'pakora' but even pakora sellers are struggling because of GST raids," he alleged.

Jaleel, who represents Aurangabad in Lok Sabha, claimed 940 farmers killed themselves in Marathwada in 11 months.