Mumbai : A popular NGO of the Muslim community today distributed scholarships among others to the Hindu students.

Scholarships to the tune of over Rs 50 lakh were given to students from Class VI to graduation level as well as to engineering and medical students from various schools and colleges of Mumbai by Jamiat Ulama E Maharashtra, said a release here.

A total of 400 students would be benefited from the scholarships – of which 50 are from the Hindu community, the release said.

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

“This is not the first time that we have extended scholarships…We have given it earlier too and would continue to do so,” the release quoted Gulzar Azmi speaking at the function organised to hand over scholarships.

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 JUM-AM attempts to reciprocate the noble gesture.