On Sunday (September 18), a convention of madarsas will be held at the Darul Uloom Deoband in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
The development came days after the Yogi Adityananth-led-Uttar Pradesh government announced that a survey of unrecognised Islamic seminaries will be conducted across the State.
The convention was earlier scheduled to take place on September 22 but has now been preponed to Sunday (Sunday 18). According to the Vice-Chancellor (Darul Uloom Deoband) Abul Qasim Nomani, a total of 250 madrassa representatives will attend the programme.
UP | A convention of madrassas of UP will be held in Darul Uloom, Deoband on September 18 on the survey of unrecognized madrassas by the state govt. Earlier this conference was to be held on Sept 22nd. Over 250 madrassa representatives will attend this: Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 18, 2022
“In this meeting the issue of government survey in non-aided and self-financed madrasas would be discussed in detail,” seminary spokesperson Ashraf Usman had earlier remarked.
The objective behind conducting the survey is to gather information about the basic facilities, teachers and curriculum taught at the unrecognised madrassas. Besides, information regarding the ownership of the madrassa, affiliation, funding, place of operations and availability of toilets, furniture, electricity, and potable water will be collected.
The survey is in line with the requirement of NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) to provide basic facilities to madrassa students. Following the Sunday convention, madrassa owners and Darul Uloom Deoband will together decide the future course of action.
Opposition cries foul, claims evil intent of BJP
On Thursday (September 15), the district administration of Lucknow and the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education began its survey with the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in the city.
According to Lucknow minority officer Sone Kumar, a 12-point proforma has been created by the State government for the purpose of collecting information. The move has drawn the ire of the Opposition with BSP supremo Mayawati accusing the BJP of terrorising Muslims.
She claimed, “The complaints of the Muslim community being exploited, neglected and being affected by riots have been common since the time of the Congress, and now they are being oppressed and terrorised by the BJP who came to power by doing narrow politics in the name of appeasement. This is sad and condemnable.”
2. इसी क्रम में अब यूपी में मदरसों पर भाजपा सरकार की टेढ़ी नजर है। मदरसा सर्वे के नाम पर कौम के चन्दे पर चलने वाले निजी मदरसों में भी हस्तक्षेप का प्रयास अनुचित जबकि सरकारी अनुदान से चलने वाले मदरसों व सरकारी स्कूलों की बदतर हालत को सुधारने पर सरकार को ध्यान केन्द्रित करना चाहिए।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) September 9, 2022
Mayawati added, “The BJP government has an evil intent on madarsas in Uttar Pradesh. The attempts to interfere in the private madrassas, which run on donations by the community, in the name of survey is inappropriate. They should focus on improving the condition of the government and government-aided madrassas,” she said.
The idea of surveying unrecognised madarsas has been criticised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind as well.
