Qazi endorses Kannada medium, independent syllabus in Madrasas

July 26, 2011

Mangalore, July 26: The madrasas across the state should impart religious education in Kannada, urged V K Aboobaker Musliyar, Sunni Qazi of Athrady.

Addressing the media persons at the office of Karnataka Arabic Education Board at Deralakatte, near here on Monday, he said this is a far cry from the earlier situation, where students had to rely on Muslim clerics explain these texts to them in Malayalam posing additional burden on the students to learn their religious scriptures in a new tongue.

“There are misconceptions about the kind of education that students in madrasas get mainly because of language barrier,” he said.

He said, “We have been following what our brethren from Kerala told us on this issue in the past. It is time to stop doing so and chart our independent course of action.”

Qazi said, tired of accepting the herd mentality of imparting religious education on syllabus and text books prepared by Muslim clerics from Kerala in Malayalam, the Board has given a new impetus to its two year old initiative of imparting education in Kannada for Muslim students in madrasas across Karnataka in general and the three coastal districts in particular.

There are nearly 1,500 madrasas in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district where religion education is imparted by clerics trained in religious schools in Kerala and the medium of instruction is Malayalam, he said.

Darul Bayan

P Aboobaker, Philanthropist cum Businessman who is heading the Board said, the Board has also opened Darul Bayan, an Arabic College at Deralakatte where students learn Arabic, Kannada, Urdu and English. Arrangements have also been made to ensure that these students earn a conventional BA degree, he said.

The board is reaching out to all sections of Muslim community and the leaders of management committees of the Sunni mosques to promote Kannada teaching of religion lessons and madrassas and leaders are responding positively to the overtures, he noted.

He said, majority of Muslim students attend regular school in addition to the madrasas and Kannada is an integral part of their regular education. It therefore makes sense to impart religious education to them in the language they are familiar with and can understand unlike Malayalam that is alien to them. A similar situation confronts student in Uttara Kannada, Hassan, Chikmagalur and Kodagu where Malayalam is the medium, he said.

Text books

Stepping up its efforts at gaining recognition from the state government, the Karnataka Arabic Education Board with the help of Muslim religious scholars presented a set of Kannada textbooks prepared by the board to Mukyamanthri Chandru. “He (Chandru) is pleased with our initiatives to impart religious eduction in Kannada,” said Aboobaker.

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No rift, no rebel: Siddaramaiah–DKS stage a dramatic show of unity after high command push

News Network

November 29,2025

New Delhi: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Saturday put up a dramatic display of unity at a closely watched joint press briefing, firmly dismissing weeks of speculation about a power-sharing tussle within the Congress. With the high command nudging both leaders to sit together and settle the dust, the meeting became a political spectacle, ending with the duo declaring that there was “no confusion, no differences.”

Calling the reports of a rift “manufactured confusion,” Siddaramaiah said the talks had gone smoothly, even joking about their breakfast. “Breakfast was very good. All three of us enjoyed it,” he said. “We want to end this confusion once and for all. For local elections and for 2028, our mission is clear — Congress must return to power. There is no difference between me and DKS, not now, not before.”

He blamed the media for fuelling rumours and reiterated absolute adherence to the party leadership. “From tomorrow, let there be no confusion. What the high command says, we will follow.”

Siddaramaiah also assured that the Assembly session starting December 8 would run smoothly and vowed that Congress would take on the BJP and JD(S) “together.”

Shivakumar echoed the chief minister word for word, stressing loyalty and discipline. “People have given us a massive mandate. It is our duty to deliver,” he said. “This government was formed under Siddaramaiah’s leadership. We both have complete trust in the high command. If they tell me to wait, I will wait.”

He added that the two leaders had discussed strategy for the 2028 Assembly elections. “Whatever the CM says, I agree. We are loyal soldiers of the party. The party may be facing challenges nationally, but we will keep it strong in Karnataka.”

Shivakumar also said Siddaramaiah would soon visit his home for lunch or dinner — another symbolic gesture meant to underline their unity.

Both leaders later posted on social media describing the breakfast meeting as “productive” and focused on “Karnataka’s priorities.”

The BJP, however, rejected the show of camaraderie as “pure bunkum,” accusing Congress of trying to paper over an internal power struggle. But Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar insisted their united front would continue — and that there was “no confusion” within the state leadership.

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