Khader demands probe into training in firearms at school

Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly U T Khader, slamming ‘Trishula Deekshe’ and training in firearms for Hindu activists at a school in Kodagu district, in the presence of elected representatives, said that such a training exposes that the government backed ‘Taliban culture’.

“Instead of handing over pens and books to children in schools, training in firearms on the premises of the school is condemnable. It appears that the government has outsourced the gundaism culture to members of various organisations,” Khader added sarcastically.

Training in firearms is imparted to NCC cadets by the competent authority, he said.

He sought a reply from organisers on whether permission was obtained from the deputy commissioner or superintendent of police for organising training in school premises in Kodagu.

The government, home minister and education minister should reveal the truth behind such training in firearms, he said.

“If the training is imparted for self-protection as claimed by the organisers, then self-protection training should be imparted for all schoolchildren. What would have been the response of government if such training was imparted by Seva Dal or by other backward communities?” he said and added that an in-depth probe into the incident was needed.

‘No new schools’

The MLA said that neither new government primary schools nor high schools or PU colleges were sanctioned in Karnataka after the BJP government came to power.

Even the recruitment of teachers to government schools has remained incomplete, he said.

All the uniforms and textbooks failed to reach schools. The government has even failed to release funds for repair works in school buildings and classrooms, he added.

“White rice is still being served to children in schools under the mid-day meal scheme. The children in coastal districts do not like to consume white rice,” he said.

‘Immature statements’

“I do not like to react to such immature statements,” said Khader while responding to Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja’s statement that he does not need Muslim votes.

It is a cheap politics. The people of Belthangady will him give a befitting reply, he said.

“Those who had misled endosulfan victims into staging a protest in Bengaluru had failed to chalk out any new programmes for the welfare of endosulfan victims in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts,” he added.

When asked about RSS founder Baliram Hedgewar’s speech in the Kannada textbook for students of class 10, the MLA said, “Contents in textbooks should teach children about the need for unity.”