Kottayam: The Kerala Congress(M), a key partner in the state's ruling LDF, on Saturday urged the government to implement the recent Kerala high court order, providing merit-cum-means scholarship to the members of the notified minority communities within the state equally.
Talking to reporters here, Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said that as per law, all the benefits for the minorities, including the meirt-cum-means scholarship, should be distributed among them equally.
Mani, whose party's support base is rooted in the minority Christian community in Central Kerala, also urged the government to implement a special package in case of any loss to any section of minorities due to the court order.
He also suggested that the package can be distributed through the social justice department after conducting a study.
Mani's statement on the issue came a day after an all party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided that a legal scrutiny and a study by experts would be conducted before arriving at a decision on the issue of the court order.
His statement also showed the division among the partners in the ruling CPM-led alliance over the issue.
The Indian National League (INL), another LDF constituent, has asked the government to go for an appeal against the order, which, it said, was the result of a 'misunderstanding.'
The Kerala High Court had, on May 29, quashed the state government orders sub-classifying the minorities by providing merit-cum-means scholarship at 80 per cent to Muslim community and 20 per cent to Latin Catholic Christians and Converted Christians, saying it cannot be legally sustained.
The court had also directed the government to pass requisite and appropriate orders, providing merit-cum-means scholarship to members of notified minority communities within the State equally and in accordance with the latest population census available with the State Minority Commission.
After the meeting on Friday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that a legal scrutiny will be conducted on how to go about the matter.
The issue would be discussed with legal experts and an expert committee would study the matter, he said.
Soon after the high court verdict, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key partner in Congress-headed UDF, had accused the LDF government of misinforming the High Court, resulting in its order nullifying the prevailing 80:20 proportion in the minority welfare schemes.
However, the Kerala Congress, headed by P J Joseph, another UDF ally, welcomed the judgement and urged the government to implement it.
The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC), a body of Catholic Bishops in Kerala, also welcomed the High Court order.
(With inputs from PTI)
