India

Won’t let divisive forces put end to madrassas in UP: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind

A screengrab of a video showing Markazul Ma-Arif Quariayana madrassa being demolished in Bongaigaon district of Assam on August 31, 2022.

Uttar Pradesh: Following the demolition of madrassas in various parts of India and the Adityanath government’s announcement that it would ‘examine unrecognised madrasas’ in the Uttar Pradesh, members of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind pledged “to safeguard madrasas at any cost” and set up a helpline for any seminary facing the problem.

“We won’t let divisive forces put an end to madrasas,” the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Syed Arshad Madani said. The Jamiat confluence felt the upcoming survey of Islamic seminaries was a “malicious attempt to disparage the madrasa education system”.

The Jamiat reminded the authorities of the madrasas’ role in the freedom struggle and their contribution to imparting learning to first-generation learners besides those from economically weaker backgrounds.

Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Government announced a survey of unrecognised madrassas in the State to gather information about the number of teachers, curriculum, and basic facilities available there, among others.

The steering committee includes Syed Arshad Madani, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, rector, Darul Uloom Deoband; Maulana Muhammad Sufyan Qasmi, rector, Darul Uloom Waqf, Deoband besides Maulana Hakimuddin Qasmi, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Kamal Farooqui, member, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, and Mujtabi Farooq of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, etc.

The meeting also took stock of the banes of the madrasa education system and agreed to “fix any legal flaws” in the internal system, set up a madrasa helpline and encourage madrasas to begin offering modern education besides theological lessons.

Meanwhile, the decision has stoked fears among the Muslim community, especially with the ongoing campaign against madrasas in some BJP-ruled states.

In the BJP-ruled Assam, authorities demolished three madrasas last month, alleging links with banned groups.

 

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