By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
New Delhi: Muslim members of both Houses of Parliament who attended a meeting convened by the Union Human Resource Development Ministry on Saturday to get their views about the proposed Central Madrasa Board, opposed the proposal expressing apprehension that this will arm the government to interfere in madrasa system. Putting the ball in their court, the government has asked the Muslim MPs to redraft the bill.
There were three major views from 18 Muslim MPs who attended the meeting chaired by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal (30 had promised to attend it). A group of four-five MPs outright rejected the concept of setting up a Central Madarsa Board saying it was not justified. They argued that even the Sachar Committee had said only 4% of Muslim children go to madarsas. Then why is government so keen on setting up the board. Instead, it should concentrate on the remaining 96% Muslim children, they said. Another group of four-five MPs said it was a good proposal.
The rest, nearly 10 MPs, while supporting the proposal felt the need of a lot of alterations in it. They wanted the board to be made more representative of the community. They also wanted clarity in the process to select members of the board.
Three MPs objected to the proposal of the CMB very strongly. They were Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP from Hyderabad Asaddudin Owaisi, Trinamool’s Sultan Ahmad, who is also a minister in the UPA government and Ahmad Sayeed Malihabadi (Independent). They expressed apprehension about the interference of government in the running of the Madrasa board.
“The moment you say that in case of a dispute, the decision of the central government will be final, you give a feel that Madrasas have an element of grey. You are viewing us with suspicion. Why doesn’t the government regulate Sanskrit vidyapeeths. The bill doesn’t have the preamble clarifying why such a board is required, Owaisi reportedly said.
However, some other MPs, including BJP’s Shanawaz Hussain, broadly agreed with the proposal of setting up a CMB and with the teaching of modern subjects in the seminaries. But they wanted that this should be done without government interference.
Seeing no consensus among Muslim MPs on the proposal, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal asked them to come up with an alternate proposal within a month. “It was a very fruitful meeting. However, there were concerns from many MPs about the constitution of the CMB Act. They believed that the government’s intention is fair but the bill needs major modifications. I have agreed to it and asked them to draft the bill and bring it to me which I will take before the ulemas (clerics). I don’t want to give any impression that the government is in a hurry to interfere in their religious teachings,” Sibal has been quoted as saying.
Sibal said that in case the community is not in favor of the board, his ministry would withdraw the proposal.