The Orissa Urdu Circle has alleged that there is a conspiracy to end Urdu education in the Odisha.
In a Press meet, lawyer Mohammed Immammudin, RIPR State president Sk Abdul Wali, Basti leader Pratap Sahu, CPM member Pupsha Das, Mahendra Parida from CPI (M-L) Liberation , Mujibur Rahman and Barkat Ali alleged continuous apathy shown by the State Government has led to the closure of a 110- year- old Urdu training school in Cuttack. There is not a single teacher who is educated in Urdu medium in the school, they said.
Besides, they told that though the Muslim people had donated land for establishment of Urdu UP Schools across the State, the Government changed their names to Muslim Basti UP Schools. They lamented that that since there is no allocation for the Urdu Academy in Bhubaneswar , it is on the verge of closure.
Similarly, they charged that no by-laws are framed for the Madrasa Board in the State, which is functioning without any regular staff. The Board gives Fazil training for teachers to be appointed to teach Urdu in high schools in the State. But in 2011 the State Government has changed the qualification to be eligible for teacher from Fazil to Urdu BEd though there is no scope for pursuing Urdu BEd course in Odisha. The Orissa High Court has stayed the Government order after a petition was filed in this regard, they informed.
Similarly, in the Urdu Girls High School in Cuttack Odia Bazar, there is not a single teacher who knows Urdu except the Urdu MIL teachers. The State Government is not filling the vacancies of Urdu teachers in the schools during the regular recruitment drive, they told, adding that the Sikhya Darpan booklet made by the State Government for high school students skips Urdu MIL. Even, the Urdu/Persian students from Class 1 to VIII in State run schools have not been provided books, nor were they given any question papers on the subject, alleged the Urdu Circle.