Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
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Bhubaneswar ( Orissa ) : Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's soup for minority students has invited strong criticism not from political fraternity but from spiritual world with noted religious thinker Sri Sri Ravi Shankar accusing the Centre of minority appeasement and vote bank politics.
The Spiritual leader, who is in a three-day State visit went on to add that when the Prime Minister announcing 25 lakh scholarship for minority students he is dividing the classrooms.
"You can extend grants to institutions, help develop infrastructure but dividing students in such a manner in most unacceptable," he said.
It may be noted here that on March 13, 2008, Minority Affairs Minister, A. R. Antulay had said about the scholarship scheme for 25 lakh school students belonging to minority communities.
The Centrally-sponsored scheme of pre-matric scholarships has been approved for eligible students of class I to X, and added that 30 per cent of these scholarships would be earmarked for girl students. Rs 1,400 crore has been tentatively provided for the scheme during the 11th Plan and it has been implemented from April 1 this year.
State Governments and Union Territory (UT) Administrations, would implement the scheme with funding to be shared between the Centre and the states in the ratio of 75:25, while 100 per cent financial assistance will be provided to the UTs.
Students, whose parents' annual income does not exceed Rs one lakh and those with not less than 50 per cent marks in the previous final examination, are eligible for the scholarship.
The students who sit side by side in a classroom boil in anger at such benefits being extended on religious lines, he added. Scholarships need to be given on the basis of economic background and merit not religion; the spiritual leader said. He asked the Prime Minister to support economically weaker students and not to divide the student community over religion for political considerations.
Opposing religious conversion through allurement in the country, the noted scholar said any attempt to convert people by giving false promises under the garb of social service would destroy pluralism and harmony.
"Though people have the right to convert voluntarily, attempts to effect conversion through allurement under the garb of social service should not be allowed. It will destroy pluralism in society," he told reporters here.
Though one was free to propagate one's religion, none should try to give an impression that other faiths were bad as it would ruin unity and heterogeneous character of the Indian society, he argued.
Stating that the existing anti-conversion law should be enforced, he said non-violence and inter-faith dialogues should be used for conflict resolution in places like riot-torn Kandhamal.
On the issue of visiting Kandhamal to put balm on the riot-hit people, Sri Sri Ravishankar said that he will ask the State Government. And once he receives the green signal, he will proceed to the communal frenzy zone.
He said that his plans for World Class University in Orissa is being finalized, which will provide technical education along with Yoga and Spiritualism.
