Karna govt defends move to serve notices to Christian schools

BANGALORE: The Karnataka government Thursday said that Christian educational institutions in the state have been served notices for their closure on August 29 to protest against attacks on their community at Kandhamal in Orissa, as they had violated rules.
   
Rejecting criticism from the Congress and JDS in this regard, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Vishveswara Hegde Kageri told reporters here that these institutions, which get grants from the government, have violated rules.
   
The Congress and JDS had criticised the government action, directing education department officials to slap notices on Christian run schools and colleges, seeking an explanation on why they remained closed on that day.
   
Kageri said there were 500 primary schools in the state, with a strength of less than five students.
  
In Tumkur district alone, there were 120 such schools, he said, adding that plans were afoot to merge them with nearby schools.