Opposition stages walkout on minority status issue

Thiruvananthapuram, June 27 (UNI) The Congress-led opposition staged a walkout from the Kerala Assembly today alleging 'serious lapses' on the part of the government in presenting its stand to the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions regarding granting minority status to six self-financing professional colleges in the state.

Raising the issue after zero hour, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy alleged unpardonable delay on part of the government in making its stand clear before the Commission on the issue.

He said even though the government claimed that it had sent a fax message to the Commission requesting one month's time to take a decision on the issue, the Commission had made it clear that it had not received such a message.

The fax message was sent only on June 23 and by that time the Commission had already taken a decision to grant minority status to the institutions, he said and asked why the government lawyers failed to appear before the Commission on June 20 when it took a decision on the issue.

Replying, Education Minister M A Baby said the Commission had been requested to grant the government one month's time to take a decision on the issue and a fax message in this regard had been sent to the Commission on June 14. It had sent another fax message on June 23 but by that time the Commission had taken the decision granting minority status to the institutions.

As the Opposition members trooped out of the House, Mr Baby said the government's view was that these institutions not deserved minority status and it had been conveyed to the Commission.

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