By A Mirsab, TwoCircls.net,
New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday acknowledged that it has no information about madrassas in the country being involved in training of terrorists.
The announcement has vindicated the stand of Muslim bodies rallying against branding of madrassas, especially by main stream media, as terrorists’ hub in wake of October 2 Burdwan blast.
The girls’ Madrasa at Simulia village under Mangalkot PS of Burdwan, alleged terror training centre (File photo)
“The Government gets information about various institutions, including madrassas from open sources as well as its security / intelligence agencies. There is no information with the Government that madrassas in general are involved in training of terrorists,” it was stated by Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary in a written reply to Wansuk Syiem in the Rajya Sabha.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs, who alienated madrassas in the country in general, however, pointed fingers at three madrassas that were run by Bangladeshi migrants in West Bengal.
“During investigations into the Burdwan blast case, it has been disclosed that in three madrassas controlled by illegal Bangladeshi migrants, religious extremism and indoctrination was being preached,” he said.
The incident of accidental blast in Burdwan on October 2 had brought the madrasas under scanner with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that was probing the blasts claiming that the accused and other recruits were trained at madrassas in Simulia and Lalgola in Burdwan and Murshidabad districts respectively of West Bengal.
Based on alleged Intelligence reports that were emerging after Burdwan blast, it was reported widely by mainstream media that Assam was emerging as a centre for Al Qaeda activities, where many madrassas are running, where anti-national lessons are taught.
On November 29, West Bengal unit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind had held a massive rally protesting the branding of madrassas as “breeding ground of terrorist activities”. Today’s announcement by the Home Ministry has vindicated the stand of Muslim bodies across the country that have been rallying against branding of ‘madrassas as a terrorist hub’ by media after the investigation in Burdwan blast indicated some accused to have connection with madrassa.
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