Muhammad Mujahid Syed Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — “There are more than 1,800 madrasas (school for Islamic instructions) in Maharashtra. They provide free education to the children of poor Muslim families and have been playing a vital role and shouldering government's responsibility in the development of Indian education system by helping millions of poor students,” said Abu Asim Azmi in a telephonic interview to Saudi Gazette. Azmi said, “Due to government's decision to derecognize them, these institutions will lose their status and benefits. The Muslims do not need government's charity, but this decision itself is against the fundamental rights of the Muslim minorities. The Indian Constitution has assured minorities of their right to religious education.” “They provide free education, food, lodging and medical facilities to the needy students throughout India. This system is time-tested for more than a millennium and the students of these madrasas have proved as valuable asset for our country. In Maharashtra alone around 250,000 Muslim students are enrolled in madrasas,” he added. Azmi, state president of Maharashtra state branch of the Samajwadi Party and member of legislative assembly from Mankhurd constituency of Mumbai, was reacting to the move to derecognize madrasas that do not teach primary subjects such as English, math and science in their curriculum and the students of such institutes be treated as “out of school”. Eknath Khadse, the minister of minority affairs in the Maharashtra statement Cabinet, made this statement calling for the derecognition of madrasas that focus only on a set syllabus without teaching English, math and science. “Madrasas teach patriotism. Many freedom fighters and Indian leaders of our country, like Maulana Fazle Haq Khairabadi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Maulana Syed Husain Ahmad Madni, Maulana Mahmoodul Hasan, Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi and Maulana Asad Madni are products of madrasas. While there were heroes of yesteryears, the current era too has produced people like Maulana Rabe Hasani Nadvi, Maulana Arshad Madni, Mualana Mahmood Madni, Maulana Khalid Ashraf, Maulana Kalbe Sadiq and Maulana Kalbe Jauwad. Who can question the ulemas' patriotism and political wisdom?” he asked. “To force this decision on Muslims (the derecognition of madrasas) will be considered as interference in the religious affairs of the Indian Muslims and due to this decision the identity of Indian Muslims is at stake. It will harm communal harmony. The government should refrain from imposing this decision. Muslims and Islam are an integral part of Indian social and political mosaic. The madrasas have paved the way for national integration,” Azmi said. Since the BJP has come to power it's dancing to the tunes of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). To call madrasas a haven of refuge for terrorists, is nothing but Islamophobia. In the name of ‘Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009', it seems that the government is trying to enter Islamic religious system through the back door by luring the madrasa students away from these institutions. The government is making a non-issue an issue. We will not tolerate it,” he added. The Union Minister of State for Minorities Affair Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had on Friday said the government would consider including these Islamic-learning centers in the mainstream educational system under the Right to Education Act, yet the Maharashtra government's decision to derecognize madrasas runs contrary to Abbas' views . The state government's call has created a furor and the move has been met by widespread protests.
