New Delhi: An Indian court has effectively banned Islamic schools, known as madrasas, in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state. The ruling, which comes just months before national elections, has sparked controversy and raised concerns about religious freedom and discrimination in the country.
The verdict, delivered by the Allahabad High Court on Friday, declared the 2004 law governing madrasas in Uttar Pradesh unconstitutional, citing violations of India’s secular principles. As a result, the court ordered the relocation of students from madrasas to mainstream educational institutions, effectively shutting down these Islamic schools.
According to Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, head of the board of madrasa education in Uttar Pradesh, where one out of every five of the 240 million people in the state is Muslim, the ruling impacts a staggering 2.7 million students and 10,000 teachers across approximately 25,000 madrasas in the state. The decision has prompted concerns about the future of Muslim education and the welfare of students previously enrolled in these institutions.
In their order, Judges Subhash Vidyarthi and Vivek Chaudhary emphasized the need to ensure that children between the ages of 6 to 14 years are not left without access to education. The ruling was issued following an appeal by lawyer Anshuman Singh Rathore, although Reuters was unable to verify Rathore’s affiliations or political connections.
The timing of the court’s decision, just ahead of India’s general elections scheduled between April and June, has raised questions about its potential impact on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government. Critics argue that the move could further alienate the Muslim community, which has voiced concerns about religious discrimination and persecution under Modi’s administration.
While Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintain that India upholds religious freedom and denies allegations of discrimination, accusations of anti-Islamic rhetoric and vigilantism by BJP members persist. The recent court ruling adds fuel to an already contentious political landscape, with religious tensions and communal divisions on the rise.
Responding to the verdict, Rakesh Tripathi, a spokesperson for the Uttar Pradesh BJP, reiterated the government’s commitment to Muslim education while emphasizing concerns about illegal funding and discriminatory practices in madrasas. Tripathi assured that the government would review the court’s order and take appropriate actions in accordance with the law.
It should be noted that general elections are taking place in India between April and June, with expectations of a large-scale victory for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Muslim and human rights groups have accused some members of the BJP and its affiliates of spreading anti-Muslim hate speech and vigilantism and encroaching on Muslim-owned properties. It is worth noting that recently Modi inaugurated a Hindu temple (Ram Temple) on the site of the 16th-century Babri Masjid razed in 1992 by Hindu extremists.
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