"Aren't muslims citizens of this society?,” Rizwan Arshad challenges BJP
Bengaluru: Congress legislator Rizwan Arshad strongly criticized BJP leaders in the Karnataka Assembly, questioning their remarks on the state budget.
"Aren't Muslims citizens of this country? Aren't they part of this society? If not, let them declare that we are animals, unfit to live in this society," he said, taking a dig at the Opposition.
Participating in the budget debate on Thursday, Arshad pointed out that BJP leaders, including Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, had labeled the budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as a "Muslim budget," "appeasement budget," and "halal budget."
"But tell me, which Muslims in this country and state do not pay taxes? Does our tax money not go to the treasury? Do we not have the right to demand our share in that tax? Do we not have the right to live in this society? Out of the ₹4.10 lakh crore budget, ₹4,100 crore has been allocated to minorities, and that is not just for Muslims," Arshad stated.
Refuting communal allegations, Arshad asserted, "We did not come from anywhere else. Understand first that we are your brothers. We are the people of this country, the children of this soil. Many of us may have converted from backward classes or Dalits at some point in history. Yet, there is no sympathy for us," he said, lashing out at the BJP.
At this point, BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal interrupted, accusing, "You are the ones who throw stones. You are the ones who fight. You are the ones who drove Hindus out of Pakistan." His statement triggered a heated exchange between ruling and opposition members in the House.
Later, Rizwan Arshad referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that Muslim youth should hold a "Quran in one hand and a computer in the other." "Contrary to Modi’s vision, BJP leaders have criticized Siddaramaiah’s budget," he said.
Highlighting that minorities make up 16% of Karnataka’s population, Arshad questioned the BJP’s opposition to government support for their welfare.
"What is wrong if the government provides funds for the development of these communities? BJP leaders are misleading the public with unnecessary criticism," he remarked.
He further accused BJP leaders of "sowing the seeds of hatred" in society through divisive statements. "What will happen to Karnataka’s reputation because of such rhetoric? What message will be sent internationally? Shouldn’t we think about this?" he asked.
Asserting that the current budget allocation for minorities was insufficient, Arshad urged the government to provide more funds for the community’s welfare.
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Class 12 final exams of Odisha board begin amid tight security
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The class 12 final examinations of the Odisha board began on Wednesday amid heavy security, officials said.
A total of 4.01 lakh students are appearing for the exams being conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE), Odisha, across 1,364 centres, they said.
The exams began with Science papers, while those for the Arts and Commerce streams will start on Friday. The exam will continue till March 28, they added.
A total of 2.56 lakh students are enrolled in the Arts stream, 1.14 lakh in Science, and 24,621 in Commerce, CHSE's Controller of Examinations Prasanta Kumar Parida said.
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There are also 5,932 students of vocational studies, he said.
The exam began at 10 am and will end at 1 pm, he added
Parida said live streaming of all examination centres has been made available, while 211 question paper hubs are being monitored with "AI technology".
Special squads have been deployed to conduct surprise inspections to check any malpractices, he added.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended greetings to all the students appearing for the examination.
"The examination is a beautiful reflection of your knowledge and hard work. There is no need to put any fear or stress in your mind for it. Remember, your performance will be of high quality only if you appear for the examination not under pressure, but with patience," he posted on X.
The practical examinations were conducted between January 2 and 15.
