The Karnataka State Minorities’ Commission, which now has judicial powers, said on Wednesday that it would take “suitable action” with regard to the recent “raid” on a school in Bondantila near the city, allegedly for teaching Arabic.
Speaking to presspersons, the commission’s chairperson, Balkis Banu, said action would be taken after receiving reports from the Deputy Commissioner and the City Police Commissioner. Ms. Banu said she visited the school on Wednesday gathered details from the management, teachers and parents.
The students were being taught Arabic, German and other foreign languages to equip them with a variety of skills. The school management was teaching the language to help students who could possibly go to the Gulf in search of jobs, she said.
Ms. Banu said the State government had conferred judicial powers on the commission recently. While other commissions set up by the government already had such powers, the Minorities Commission did not.
But now, it has the powers of a civil court and can summon people to appear in front of it.
She said the commission was aware of the issues faced by schools run by minorities in obtaining recognition certificate. If 25 per cent of the students in such institutions are from minority communities, such schools should get minority status, she said.
