UP Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a ban on madrasas.
Rizvi wrote that over one lakh madrasas in India were being used to aid terror activities which should be sure enough reason for the Government to ban them. He also demanded a ban on madrasa education in the present form and suggested that madrasas be turned into schools imparting modern education to all, irrespective of caste and religion.
“I have written to the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories. The Maharashtra Government has already ordered a high-level probe after receiving my letter,’’ claimed Rizvi in lucknow on Tuesday. Rizvi was recently in news for asking Muslims to withdraw their claim on the disputed site at Ayodhya and advocated the cause of the construction of a temple.
“Running a madrasa has become lucrative business for mullahs who collect donation and ‘zakat’ from society. The kind of education imparted in these religious institutions is only breeding ignorance and unemployment. Such madrasas are flourishing more in rural areas,’’ said Rizvi.
“These madrasas are causing immense harm to the society as students passing out from these institutions are cut off from the mainstream and lack skill for any employment. They either remain unemployed or become mullah and open a new madrasa,’’ argued Rizvi.
“How many madrasas have produced engineers, doctors, IAS officersIJ But some madrasas have produced terrorists. In West Bengal, the police had detected a terror module where madrasas were imparting training for bomb manufacturing and as per another report as many as 58 madrasas were found to be having links with jehadi outfits,” the Shia Waqf Board chairman said.
Suggesting that the madrasas under formal education boards, Rizvi added, “Madrasas be affiliated to CBSE, ICSE and allow non-Muslim students. Besides, religious education be made optional.”
Rizvi’s statement, however, did not go down well with several Islamic outfits.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (UP) convener Syed Waqar Ahmed called Rizvi a ‘buffoon’ and an opportunist. “Rizvi has sold his soul to the RSS. I challenge him to come up with proof about one Shia or Sunni madrasa where such teachings are imparted. If so, he should show it to the Home Minister for necessary action,” said the MIM leader.