Mumbai: Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra, a popular and leading NGO of the Muslim community, on Wednesday distributed scholarships among Hindu and Muslim students. The scholarships to the tune of over Rs 50 lakh were distributed among students from Class VI to graduation level and engineering and medical students in Mumbai.

A total of 400 students including 50 from the Hindu community would be benefited from the scholarships.

The cheques were distributed here in presence of Maulana Mustaqueem Azmi, state president of Jamiat, Gulzar Azmi, president of its legal aid cell, Maulana Halimullah Qasmi, secretary and Congress MLA Amin Patel.

“It is not the first time that we have extended scholarships…we have given it earlier too and would continue to do so,” Gulzar Azmi said.

Maulana Mustaqeem Azmi said that since its inception in 1919, the NGO has shied away from making any kind of religious discrimination while helping the society. “There are many secular trusts and NGOs which readily provide help to needy Muslim students in the country. In its humble way, the Jamiat attempts to reciprocate the noble gesture,” he added.