New Delhi, July 20: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s national vice president, Maulana Waliullah Saeedi Falahi, has strongly condemned the efforts in Uttar Pradesh to alter the status and identity of religious madrasas and interfere in the education sector through various tactics. In a statement to the media, he asserted, “Religious education is not only a fundamental right of every individual but also a necessity for a better society.”
He emphasized that neither the government nor its institutions have the moral or constitutional authority to forcibly transfer students voluntarily studying in Islamic madrasas to other schools. Under Article 30(1) of the Constitution, minorities have the fundamental right to establish and manage their own educational institutions.
Similarly, the Right to Education (RTE) Act grants madrasas the right to operate independently, allowing students to benefit from their education. In this context, the intervention of institutions like the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in madrasas is illegal and unconstitutional. Instead of addressing the genuine issues faced by children, this institution is unnecessarily meddling in matters beyond its scope.
Maulana Waliullah Saeedi Falahi also called on the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw its unconstitutional and anti-education circular, which directs district authorities to transfer students from non-approved madrasas (according to government data, there are 8,449 such madrasas in the state) to government schools.
Highlighting the services provided by madrasas, he noted, “In our country, where millions are deprived of basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, education, and public health facilities, Madrasa Arabia provides quality education to millions of children along with free meals and accommodation.” Through its effective and stable education system, it has prepared numerous significant individuals over generations, including prominent leaders of the freedom struggle.
In this light, the state government’s order is seen as a shameful attempt to disrupt the stable historical system of madrasas and an unconstitutional intervention in the rights of millions of students and their parents. Maulana Falahi has appealed to all justice-loving citizens of the country to raise their voices against this unilateral and cruel action and to work towards stopping it.
