Innocent won't be harassed in fight against terror: CM

 Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Wednesday said that the State government was duty bound to protect the innocent but would initiate strict action against those who indulge in anti-national activities.

Speaking at a function organised to distribute cheques to beneficiaries of various minorities welfare schemes for the financial year 2012-13, Shettar said the government will not harass the innocent in the name of tackling terrorism but at the same time those guilty of such activities would be punished.

He was responding to a plea from Congress MLA and former minister R Roshan Baig that the government needs to take steps to instill a sense of security among the minorities. “Shoot down those who indulge in terror activities. But do not harass or arrest the innocent,” Baig said.

Baig also urged the government to provide more educational loans to minorities. “Provide loans so that minorities can get quality education....give them the support so that more of them can take up civil services,” Baig said.

Shettar said the government had provided educational loans to all those who had sought them. He pointed out that the government had provided loans to the tune of Rs 85.11 crore to 46,924 students during the last four years.

The government had earmarked a budgetary allocation of Rs 223 crore for minority welfare during the last four years which Shettar claimed was an all-time record.
The chief minister also gave away cheques to beneficiaries of various minorities welfare schemes from Bangalore urban district.

 Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation (KMDC) Chairman N B Aboobakkar said as many as 4,791 beneficiaries  identified for the first quarter of the financial year 2012-13 would receive loans to the tune of Rs 5.38 crore.