High Court seeks UP govt's reply on scheme for Muslim girls

The Allahabad High Court today sought reply from the Uttar Pradesh government on a petition challenging validity of a scheme, in which financial aid was being given to girls of Muslim community for education or marriage.
The Lucknow Bench, comprising Justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhayaya, gave four weeks time to the state government to file its reply on 'Hamari Beti Uska Kal' scheme.
The scheme has been challenged through a petition, filed by 17 local advocates, including general secretary of Hindu Front for Justice Ranjana Agnihotri.
The petitioners in their writ requested that the scheme, under which Rs 30,000 assistance was being given to 10th pass girls of minority families whose annual income is upto Rs 36,000, for further education or marriage should be scrapped.

The petitioners counsel Hari Shanker Jain claimed that the order issued by the government relating to the scheme on October 17 last year should be scrapped as "it violated the right to equality of Constitution".
He said that not only Muslim girls, but girls of Hindu community should also get benefit of the scheme.

On behalf of the state government, additional advocate general Bulbul Godiyal while opposing the writ said the government has launched the scheme to give facility to children of minority community.
To file a detailed reply she requested the court to give time.
On this, the court granted the government four weeks time to file an affidavit.