After reports stating that Karnataka government has given consent to the Waqf Board to open 10 colleges for Muslim women students, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said no such discussions have taken place at any level of his administration.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai denied that he gave in-principle consent to the state Waqf Board to start 10 colleges for girls in various districts in the state at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore per college, as stated by Waqf Chairman Maulana Shafti Saadi.
The Chief Minister clarified that it might be the personal view of the Waqf board Chairman and not the stand of his government.
"...I don't know, it might be his (Waqf Chairman) personal view. It has not been discussed in any quarters of our government and it is not the stand of my government. If anything is there, let the Waqf Chairman come and speak to me," Bommai said.
Karnataka Minister for Haj and Waqf Shashikala Jolle, too, has issued a statement clarifying that there was no proposal or file before the government regarding starting separate colleges for Muslim women.
Terming reports that the government has already approved such colleges as "far from the truth", she said, "the statement in this regard by the Waqf board Chairman is his personal one. I have already spoken to the Waqf board Chairman and asked him to clarify the speculations which have arisen."
The new colleges will open in Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Kodagu, Chikkodi, Nippani, Kalaburagi, Bijapur, Bagalkote, among other places in the state, Saadi said, adding that after the hijab controversy, there has been demand from the Muslim community for women colleges to be started by Waqf Board, and a delegate had even met Union Minister for Women & Child Development Smriti Irani in this regard.