By RINA,
New Delhi: Before leaving for US on invitation of Royal Ahl-e-Bait and George Town University (Washington), Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind leader and MP Maulana Mehmood Madani said: “Establishment of Markazi Madrasa Board will open the door to meddle in free Madarasa syllabi and distort the character of Madrasa education.” In a statement issued here, he demanded the government to abort such attempts.
“Although the 38-page long document regarding Central Madrasa Board says that affiliation with it will not be compulsory”, Maulana Mehmood conceded, “Practically, such circumstances crop up in due time that thwart the very purpose of Madrasa education and the mode of thinking of Madrasa students and teachers gets changed.”
Maulana Madani said, “This is incomprehensible that the government shows no interest in educating Muslim students in general, nor does offer any incentive for it.” He told that JUH had sought government assistance for starting ten thousand primary schools but the request was put aside.
Maulana Madani also complained that permission is denied to open contemporary educational institutions for Muslim students in XI and XII classes, although JUH has tried several times for it. He told, “When permission is sought to open such minority educational institutions, an affidavit is required to pledge that no government shall be asked during entire life of the institution.”
“Neither the government has any interest in restoring minority character of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University”, Maulana Madani said, “Nor in opening separate educational institutions for Muslim minority.” Instead all this ho-hum and visible vigorous government activity sends wrong signal to communal elements who find fault with the government for spoonerism towards Muslim minority.
On his part, union HRD minister Kapil Sibal today issued a short statement that any final decision on the proposed board shall be taken only after seeking the opinion of distinguished Ulema, Madrasa authorities, Muslim intellectuals and educationists. He will have a meeting with Muslim members of parliament on the issue today.
But a difficult question to answer is what Maulana Mehmood said, “Instead of concentrating on promoting and assisting in 96 per cent Muslim students’ education, 4 per cent Madrasa students are being given high importance out of proportion.”
The same question is posed in hard-hitting appeal published by Muslim Qaumi Muhaz (MQM), Zakir Nagar, New Delhi.
MQM asked, “Why has the Madrasa Modernization Committee’s 2008 report not been implemented so far?” As per information, the committee was formed by the Government of India in leadership of Maulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani and its report was notified in August 2008. Even former HRD minister launched the program for which Rs 750 crore have already been allocated to the ministry.
MQM further queried Mr. Sibal, “Why was opening 125 Urdu medium schools, as proposed by Monitoring Committee of Minority Education (HRD Ministry) and sanctioned by erstwhile HRD ministry, not included in ministry’s agenda?” MCME had proposed to open Modern Mosel Madrasa (till Fazil level) in every commissionaire of the country. These disclosures surely make one to raise his eyebrow over Markazi Madrasa Board.