LUCKNOW: After the national commission for protection of child rights (NCPCR) issued notice to chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra of Uttar Pradesh government, for not keeping non-Muslim students in madrassas, Iftikhar Ahmad Javed, Chairperson UP Madrassa Board said, "NCPCR’s notice is against PM’s core belief 'sabka saath sabka vikas' which is being undermined by the commission continuously."
The notice was issued on April 6, 2023, and commission had gave 15 days to UP government to "seriously reconsider" its stance kept by Anand Kumar Singh, special secretary and registrar, Madrassas Board UP on March 23, 2023—in which he shared the decision taken by the Madrassas Board that "it is not possible to implement the recommendations of the NCPCR in the interest of the public and education. He made it crystal clear that the UP government will follow the decision of the Madrassas Board, as it agrees with it completely."
According to the NCPCR notice, the UP government could not provide any document to the commission, which could state that parents of the non-Muslim children had given them consent for Islamic education. But instead the government stated that madrassas education to non-Muslim children is being given as per the rights provided in Article 29(2) of the Constitution. But he did not furnish any explanation regarding the violation of Article 28(1)-- "No religious teaching shall be imparted in any educational institution wholly maintained by the state fund".
"UP government's response does not seem to be efficient in this matter. Madrassas education means education in Arabic, Urdu, Persian, Islamic studies, logic, philosophy and includes such other branches of learning as may be specified by the board from time to time. According to section 2 of the Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Council Act 2004, madrassas are the centers of Islamic education. In such a situation, keeping Hindu and other non-Muslim children in madrassas is not logical from anywhere," read the notice issued by chairperson Priyank Kanoongo.
Kanoongo warned the state government that since it is violating section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 (JJ Act 2015), it may recommend for initiation of proceedings for prosecution.
Meanwhile, speaking to TOI Iftikhar Ahmad Javed Chairperson UP Madrassa Board siad, "Every citizen has the right to provide education to his/her children wherever he/she wants."
"The Uttar Pradesh government spends Rs 14 crore on books for aided madrassas to teach subjects of modern education. Therefore, the allegation that only religious education is being imparted in Madrasas is baseless," he added.
