CM Dhami Vows To Dig Deep Into Fundings Of Illegal Madrasas Amidst State-Wide Crackdown

Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government has sealed 136 madrasas across the state for operating without registration, marking a massive crackdown on the illegal madrasas in the state. Following the sealing action, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to probe the funding of these institutions. The chief minister has vowed to dig deep into the funding of these illegal madrasas, questioning their role in the state's education system.

According to state government officials, the crackdown on unregistered madrasas is part of a larger effort to ensure transparency and accountability in the state's education sector. As per government estimates, there are around 450 registered madrasas in Uttarakhand, while 500 others operate without recognition from the education department or the Madrasa Board. These unregistered institutions are being run under the Societies Registration Act, raising concerns about their funding and management.

Drive Against Unregistered Madrasas

The drive against unregistered madrasas began in January, when CM Dhami ordered a verification drive to ascertain various aspects of these institutions, including their financial sources. The district administrations have been surveying madrasas, and the government has sealed 64 madrasas in Udham Singh Nagar, 44 in Dehradun, 26 in Haridwar, and two in Pauri Garhwal.

Khurshid Ahmed, the state secretary for Jamiat ulema-i-Hind, has criticised the government's move, claiming that the exercise is illegal and that the managers of these institutions were not given notices before they were closed. "For a large-scale drive like this, the government needs to pass an order, but that has not happened. The sealing is taking place during Ramadan when the children are away at their homes," he said.

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Ensuring the Right to Education

Madrasa Board chairperson Mufti Shamoom Qasmi has assured that the children from the sealed madrasas will be transferred to schools and madrasas nearby. "We will look into how many children study here after the report on the drive is submitted. The children are entitled to the right to education, and we will make sure it is not violated," he said.

The Uttarakhand government's move to seal unregistered madrasas has sparked a debate about the role of these institutions in the state's education system. While some have criticised the government's move as an attack on minority rights, others have welcomed it as a necessary step to ensure transparency and accountability in the education sector.

Meanwhile, the people have demanded that the government must ensure that all educational institutions, including madrasas, operate within the framework of the law and provide quality education to students. The government must work towards creating an inclusive education system that provides opportunities for all students, regardless of their background or religion.

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Similar Action In Uttar Pradesh And Assam

The issue of unregistered madrasas is not limited to only Uttarakhand. Earlier, a massive crackdown was ensured in Assam and Uttar Pradesh against illegal madrasas. In Uttar Pradesh, the government has taken similar action against unregistered madrasas, and the Allahabad High Court has struck down the state's Madarsa Act.

In Uttarakhand, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights had raised concerns about the facilities in registered madrasas.