In a move bound to raise eyebrows, the Maharashtra government is allegedly mapping madrasas during the holy month of Ramadan.
According to Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi in Thane district, Rais Shaikh, the Maharashtra government is conducting the mapping of madrasas in the state during the holy month of Ramadan. Shaikh questioned the move, asking why the community was not consulted or taken into confidence before carrying out such an exercise.
According to Shaikh, the Maharashtra government initiated the mapping of madrasas without prior consultation or consent of the Muslim community. Shaikh raised questions regarding the timing and necessity of such an exercise during Ramadan, a month revered by Muslims worldwide for fasting and prayer.
Expressing dismay, Shaikh asserted that the ongoing election code of conduct should have deterred the government from undertaking such initiatives. He highlighted that while on the one hand, the state is implementing Dr Zakir Hussain Madrasa Modernization Scheme to enhance educational facilities in madrasas, on the other hand, it is allegedly subjecting them to mapping exercises. Shaikh emphasized that this contradictory approach raises concerns about the government’s intentions and priorities.
Shaikh further claimed that officials from the education department, along with representatives from zilla parishads and municipalities, are reportedly pressuring madrasa directors for information during Ramadan. He condemned this alleged harassment and demanded an immediate halt to the mapping exercise until the community’s concerns were addressed.
