Minorities' body to file contempt case against govt

An association of minority educational institutions is in the process of filing a contempt-of-court case against the Commissioner of Public Instruction and Principal Secretary of Primary and Secondary Education for their alleged violation of a recent Karnataka High Court order which directed the State government not to resort to forceful measures to enforce the provisions of the RTE Act on minority schools until the court decides on the ‘linguistic minority’ status issue.

The Karnataka State Minority Educational Institution Management Federation (KSMEIMF), consisting of as many as 3,500 institutions, claimed that schools under their ambit were being constantly harassed by Block Education Officers and that the Education department was not paying heed to their pleas to stop it. C R Mohammed Imtiaz, chairman, KSMEIFM, said the harassment was worse in Bangalore Rural and Urban districts. “We have shown the order to BEOs and other educational officers. However, they say it does not hold good and they are still asking us to admit students,” he said.