Non-Muslim children learning in madarasas cause religious animosity in society

New Delhi – National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairman Priyank Kanoongo has expressed serious concern about education in madarasas. He said, “Madarasas are centres for providing Islamic religious education and are outside the scope of the Right to Education Act. As such, retaining Hindu and other non-Muslim children in madarasas is not only a violation of their fundamental constitutional rights but can also become a reason for spreading religious animosity in society”.

1. Kanoongo highlighted the incident of forced religious conversion and circumcision of a Hindu boy in a village near Deoband in Uttar Pradesh. The incident was reported in October last year. Citing this incident, Kanoongo made an appeal on 13^th July not to enroll Hindus and other non-Muslim children in madarasas.

2. In this regard, Kanoongo had earlier requested the State Governments to make alternative arrangements in regular schools for non-Muslim students enrolled in madarasas. The Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Government had also issued an order in accordance with the recommendation of the NCPCR.

3. Kanoongo said, “It has been learnt through newspapers that an Islamic organisation called Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind is misleading people about this order and is working to incite the sentiments of the general public against the Government. This organisation of clerics is a branch of Darul Uloom Deoband against which the Commission has taken action for supporting Ghazwa-e-Hind (Islamization of India)”.

4. “None should violate the religious freedom of children. I request the public with folded hands not to be misled by any fundamentalist organisation and to participate in building a better future for children”, he added.

(It has come to light from time to time that crimes such as support to Jihadi terrorism, rapes, murders have been given by many madarasas across the country. Therefore, the Government should show courage to pass a strict law to ban madarasas besides implementing the New Education Policy ! – Editor)

It has come to light that crimes such as support to Jihadi terrorism, rapes, murders have been given by many madarasas !