– Md. Sami Ahmad
Patna, Mar 1: The Bihar government passed bills on Thursday to dissolve Bihar State Madrasa Education Board and Bihar State Minority Commission among other boards and commissions. Earlier, the state government announced the merger of all language academies, including Bihar Urdu Academy to form a directorate for them. Members of the minority community have expressed their apprehension about the government’s decisions.
Bihar Assembly passed five bills namely Bihar State Minority Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Bihar State Madrasa Education Board (Amendment) 2024, Bihar State Sanskrit Education Board (Amendment), 2024, Bihar State Women Commission (Amendment), 2024 and Bihar State Child Labour Commission (Amendment), 2024.
Though it has been said that a new Madrasa board will be constituted within three months of its dissolution, it’s not clear how it will be done. The state government says that due to the new National Education Policy it has become necessary to include professional courses. It is suggested that a committee would be set up for this purpose.
Ex-Madrasa Principal, Maulana Abul Kalam Qasmi Shamsi says that this self-governing Madrasa Board was the protector of affiliated Madrasas. But, he says, “It is a matter of concern that after joining hands with the BJP, Nitish Kumar government has started working on BJP’s agenda.”
He says that by amending the Bihar State Madrasa Education Board Act, of 1981 the government has dented the autonomy of the Madrasa Board. He alleges that the government has increased its intervention in the Madrasa Board by bringing out the amendment.
He says that since the saffronisation of education is the agenda of BJP’s central government, “It seems that the state government is affected by that agenda.” He says that the government has said that its intention was not bad but ‘Its action proves otherwise.”
He says that the syllabus of Bihar Madrasas is already modern and includes contemporary subjects. He says that with this act of the state government, the Muslim minority community is shocked.
He alleges that the government wants to take the Madrasa education in some other direction which poses a danger that Muslim children will be deprived of the educational development that they were gaining.
He appealed to the leaders of Muslim organisations, social workers, and political leaders to come forward and convey the message of the Muslim minority in this regard.
Apart from the Madrasa Board, the fate of the Minority Commission is also not very clear. It is said that after the dissolution of the Minority Commission, the state government would constitute a five-member committee that will identify the minority community and submit a report to the Minority Welfare Department after studying the findings of the Caste Survey of 2022-23. In preparation of this report, persons from different religious and linguistic minorities may be nominated.
A few days back Congress Member of the Legislative Council, Premchand Mishra raised the issue of Language Academies, including Bihar Urdu Academy. Replying to him, Bihar Education Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said the concern shown by Mr. Mishra is accepted. He conceded that such Academies become defunct after a certain period. He informed that the state government is trying to form a directorate and merge all the Language Academies. However, he did not mention the time when it would be formed.
Noted Urdu litterateur and former Vice President of Bihar Urdu Academy, Shafi Mashhadi says the state government should at least spare Urdu. “Urdu is an international language. Urdu is the second official language in Bihar. It has its own canvas. Bihar Urdu Academy was not running well because part-time chief. If it goes to the proposed directorate, I don’t see its future as bright.”
He says he knows that the Chief Minister, who is ex-officio President of Bihar Urdu Academy, is an Urdu lover but “I don’t know who has advised him for the dissolution of Urdu Academy and merger of it in the directorate.”
He says that even today if this message is conveyed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Urdu Academy would not be dissolved and it would be made functional. He says the organisations working for Urdu should do this.
He said, “I, as an Urdu lover, appeal to the state government to make the Urdu Academy functional.”
