Bengaluru: Social welfare minister H Anjaneya has once again put his foot in the mouth. His recent statement comparing private schools in Karnataka to prostitution centres has stirred up another controversy, forcing to him clarify on Wednesday that he did not intend to blame all private institutions.

On Monday, the minister at a school inauguration function in Bengaluru, suggested that some private schools are like prostitution centres that are charging by the hour. Soon after this, private school associations launched an online protest against Anjaneya. "I did not want to generalize all private schools but meant only a few. While there are several good private schools which impart quality education, some have been set up with the only intention of making money. I compared these money-spinning institutions to prostitution rackets," he told the media.

The minister said his anger was directed only at those schools which have not enrolled students under the Right To Education (RTE) quota, and have been constantly trying to identify loopholes in the Act for forgoing admissions to the poor.

This is not the first time Anjaneya making such controversial statements. In 2015, ahead of the World Yoga Day, the minister had said yoga is only for the "rich and the lazy".

After getting a rap from chief minister Siddaramaiah as it has embarrassed the state government, Anjaneya retracted his statement and said yoga is pursued by all people.



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