Even as the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to conduct a survey of unrecognised madrasas has sparked a controversy, the government has maintained that the survey is for the well-being of the students in the institution of religious education.
Political parties and Muslim organisations have alleged the move as a “mini-NRC” (National Register of Citizens). They said the government had no right to interfere in the functioning of madrasas under Article 30 of the Constitution.
“Some political parties are attributing motives to the survey of unrecognised madrasas announced by the state government. The survey is only about collecting the data of the students, teaching and non-teaching staff. The syllabus and present state of infrastructure of the madrasas and their affiliation with any non-government organisations are some of the issues to be covered by the survey,” said Minorities Welfare Minister Dharmpal Singh.
Minister of State for Minorities Affairs Danish Ansari said the survey would be conducted in accordance with the requirement of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in connection with the availability of basic facilities to students in madrasas.
Chief of the Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Asaduddin Owaisi, said that the state government had no right to interfere in the functioning of madrasas as they were private-run, not recognised as per the madrasa board and did not receive any aid from the government.
The AIMIM leader also termed the survey a “mini-NRC” (National Register of Citizens) and accused the state government of “harassing Muslims”. According to Article 30 of the Constitution, a fundamental right is available (for minorities) to set up an educational institution of choice, he said.
“Madrasas are as per Article 30, then why has the UP government ordered the survey? It is not a survey but a mini-NRC. Some madrasas are under the state Madrasa Board. The government cannot interfere with our rights under Article 30. They just want to harass Muslims,” said Shaukat Ali, UP unit president of AIMIM.
The opposition Samajwadi Party in the state also said the survey was meant to “harass” people.
“The entire education system of the state government is in a bad shape. There was no need for this survey as these madrasas are not taking any grant from the state government,” SP state spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said.
According to the state government, there are 16,461 madrasas in Uttar Pradesh, out of which 560 are provided government grants. New madrasas have been included in the grant list in the last six years.
Meanwhile, Diwan Saheb Zaman, general secretary of Teachers’ Association Madaris Arabiya, welcomed the state government’s decision to hold the survey, saying it would benefit madrasa teaching and non-teaching staff.