Mehbooba Mufti slams Assam CM's 'Madrasa' remark; 'Race of who could hassle Muslims most'

Taking strong objection to the 'madrasa should be abolished' comment, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of being in a race with his counterparts in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, on Monday. The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister noted that the race was "who could hassle the Muslims, the minority in the most".

The Gupkar Alliance member further noted that issues of temples and mosques were being raised so as to provoke Muslims into reacting. "If Muslims react, these people will get a chance to execute another episode like that in Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh," she said, and concluded, "The British pitted Hindus against Muslims, today BJP is doing it. The Prime Minister is watching silently, and so BJP thinks what the members are doing is right." 

'Teach Quran but...': Asam CM Himanta Sarma 

Hailed by the former chancellor of the Hyderabad Maulana Azad University for dissolving all madrasas and turning them into general schools in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the word madrasa "should cease to exist". 

“Till the time this word (madrasa) exists, children will not be able to think about becoming doctors and engineers. If you tell children that they will not become doctors or engineers if they study in madrasas, they themselves will refuse to go,” the BJP leader said.

"Teach the Quran to your children, but at home,” the Assam Chief Minister further said, adding that stress should be on science, maths, biology, botany, and zoology.

"There should be normal education in schools, and students should study to become doctors, engineers, professors and scientists" he said. 

The statement comes months after the Gauhati High Court dismissed the writ petitions filed against the Assam Repealing Act of 2020 that repealed the Madrassa Education Provincialisation Act. The state Assembly had in 2020 passed the Assam Repealing Act of 2020 to convert the state-funded Madrassas into general schools.