Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Thursday that the state government has taken several steps to improve the condition of Muslim women, which their husbands have left. He also said that the Bihar government has taken various measures to support the education of Muslim girls and boys in the state.
Speaking at an event organized on the centenary celebrations of Bihar State Madrasa Education Board, Kumar said, “Muslim women who are abandoned by their husbands have to face difficulties … The state government had introduced financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per month in 2007 to improve the condition of such Muslim women and support them. Now this amount has been increased to Rs 25,000 per month.”
Nitish said, “Every effort is being made to promote the education of Muslim boys and girls. For this, the Minority Welfare Department of the State Government is running several schemes. If women are left after marriage, they have to face many difficulties.”
The Chief Minister said that no work was done for the Muslim community in the state before 2005. After the NDA government was formed in 2005, several welfare schemes were launched for the Muslim community.
He said, “Earlier there were frequent Hindu-Muslim quarrels. So the process of fencing the cemeteries has been started since 2006. A large number of cemeteries have been launched and now there is no such quarrel.”
The Chief Minister said, “Earlier the condition of madrasas was very pathetic. Madrasa teachers did not get good salary. After 2006, madrasas were registered and they got government recognition. Now madrasa teachers are getting equal salary as teachers of government schools.”
Prior to the 2005 elections, there were many riots including Bhagalpur in 1989, but neither the then government nor the subsequent governments conducted proper inquiry. The Chief Minister said, “As soon as it came to power in November 2005, a thorough investigation was conducted, action was taken against the culprits and the riot victims were compensated.”
He said, “Riot-affected families are being provided assistance through pension. The Chief Minister said that the budget of the Minorities Welfare Department was only Rs 3.54 crore in 2004-05, which has now increased to Rs 1,080 crore. In addition, the young men and women of the Muslim community are being assisted in various ways to help in starting employment.”
He said, “From the very beginning, we have worked for the development of all sections of the society – including Hindu, Muslim, high caste, backward, extremely backward, Dalit or Mahadalit.”
The Chief Minister said, “We have always worked in the interest of the public and will continue to make tireless efforts for the development of the state. The opponents do unnecessary things, but they have no meaning. We focus on our work.”
