By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Mumbai: In a controversial move, Maharashtra government has classified madrassas in Maharashtra as ‘non-schools’ and their students as ‘out-of-school’ children.
The move has created a political furor as the All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) criticized it terming it as BJP’s u-turn from its manifesto of ‘Modernising madrassas’ while Congress calling it as ‘Crisis Management Pattern’ by BJP to take away focus from the main issues when its ministers are being alleged for corruption.
Photo used for illustration purpose only.
Earlier in June, Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Eknath Khadse had announced that academic subjects will have to be compulsorily taught in madrassas across the state in addition to the traditional religious studies so as to avail the state grant.
Now, the latest decision to declassify madrassas from schools is being defended by the state government as a means to bring madrassa students into mainstream formal education.
“Madrassas are giving education on religion to students and not giving them formal education. Our Constitution says every child has the right to have formal education, which madrassas do not provide,” Khadse said.
“If a Hindu or Christian child wants to study in a madrassa, they will not be allowed to study there. Thus, madrassa is not a school but a source of religious education. So we have asked them to teach their students other subjects as well. Otherwise these madrassas will be considered as non-schools,” Khadse added.
Khadse’s statement came in wake of a massive survey planned by the state’s department of school education on July 4 to identify out-of-school children in the state and bring them into mainstream education.
Speaking to a television news channel, AIMIM president and its MP Asaduddin Owaisi objected the decision of the state government and said, “BJP is moving away from its manifesto of modernising madrassas. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi had said during campaigning that he envisages Quran in one hand and computer in another hand of Muslims but now he is on a different course, forgetting what he said earlier.”
“Why does the government not include vedic schools and other similar schools run by RSS shakhas under the ambit of this order? Interfering into religious institutions already recognized by government is violation of constitutional rights of Muslims,” he pointed out.
The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, in a press release, said that the state government has failed to address the prevailing issues of farmers’ deaths, law and order problems and especially the graft allegations against its minister.
“The government has introduced this new controversy in the public so that the focus from these main issues is diverted. It is the habit of BJP that whenever the party is at centre stage and an explanation of various issues are required from it, some of its ministers make some loose statements so as to divert the focus. The present madrassa controversy is in line with its ‘Crisis Management Patern’,” said Sachin Sawant, MPCC spokesperson.
Countering the state government’s explanation on the controversial move, Samajwadi Party leader Kamal Farooqui said to one of the Television news channels, “Most madrassas teach computers, other sciences and other relevant subjects, they are not only sticking to religious studies. There is an IAS officer who had passed out from a madrassa.”
“Even non-Muslim students go to madrassas, for example in West Bengal,” he added.
Related:
Madrassas must teach academic subjects to avail govt aid: Maharashtra minority minister