India

Yogi Govt stops grants for new Madrassas in UP

Muslim students in Madrassa as they recite verses of holy Quraan. [File Photo]

Muslim clerics say ‘decision reflects regime’s thinking’

Uttar Pradesh: The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has accepted the cabinet’s proposal to stop grants for new Madrassas. This comes days after the state government mandated singing the national anthem of India in the seminaries.

According to ANI, the Yogi government accepted the proposal to exclude new Madrasas from grant list in a cabinet decision on May 17.

UP minister of state for minority welfare Danish Azad Ansari told PTI that the Madrassas currently receiving government grants will continue to get it, but no new beneficiary will be included in the list.

When he asked about the reason behind this, he said that at present 560 madrassas are getting government grants in the state.

“It is a big number. The focus of the government is on providing quality education in madrassas. That is why now no new madrassa will be included in this list,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, the Deoband clerics have raised their voice against the Yogi Adityanath-led government for not giving grants to new Madrasas in the state.

Maulana Qari Ishaq Gora, patron of Jamiat Dewat-ul Muslameen, asked the BJP government to explain its decision and further asked if the administration did not have the budget or the decision to not give grants only applied to seminaries.

“Now, the government has decided that new madrasas will not get grants, but the reason for this decision has not been given,” Deoband-based cleric, Maulana Asad Qasmi, said. The cleric demanded that the state government should build schools and colleges in Muslim-dominated areas.

Criticising UP government’s decision, Qasmi said that around 75 per cent of Muslim children study in schools and 25 per cent in Madrasas and the donations are also given by the Muslim community for the same.

“We don’t need government grants but this decision reflects their thinking,” Qasmi added.

The decision was taken at the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on May 17.

Currently, there are 16,461 Madrassas across Uttar Pradesh, out of which 560 are receiving government grants.

 

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