A three-member special investigation team (SIT) has revealed in its preliminary report that around 13,000 madrasas across Uttar Pradesh are “illegal” and recommended that they must be closed immediately.
According to a report in the Live Hindustan, the SIT probe found that these madrasas have been receiving foreign funding but the sources of donors remain undisclosed.
The report has been submitted to the Yogi Adityanath government.
It also underscored concerns over many of these madrasas falling in the districts along the UP-Nepal border. According to the report, seven such districts, including Maharajganj and Shravasti, have more than 2,500 of these madrasas.A three-member SIT was formed in October 2023 to probe the “unregistered” madrasas in the state.
“During our probe, the unrecognised madrasas told us their source was donations and Zakat (almsgiving in Islam) but could not produce any receipt or record of the same. There is also a patter in madrasas coming up along the Nepal border. All this signals that some foreign agency, likely a Pakistan-based agency, may be guiding them to build a base there and assemble sympathisers with the larger aim of (organising) terror activities,” an official who is involved in the probe told The Economic Times.
According to the official, these madrasas ran without supervision since they were not registered.
Approximately 80 madrasas in border regions had received foreign funding of around Rs 100 crore, said a report by The Hindustan Times.
However, Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, chairman of the UP-state madrasa education board, told the newspaper, “Not all madrasas are anti-national. The investigation aims to cleanse the system and promote those institutions fostering national feelings and patriotism among students.”
In a survey conducted in 2022, around 8,449 madrasas in UP were found to be “unrecognised”.
Javed had then written to the Uttar Pradesh CM urging him to initiate a process so that these madrasas could be recognised. According to him, the lack of such a procedure will hit the education of almost 7.5 lakh students.
Meanwhile, speaking about the findings of the recent SIT probe, UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said, “Our government will further strengthen law and order in the state. Under no circumstances, will we allow illegal activities in the state.” He said stringent action will be taken against the guilty.
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