Reacting to the Assam government’s plan to offer Rs 5 lakh to non-government madrasas along with monthly salaries to imams (heads of mosques), Syed Arshad Madani, the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, while addressing a convention, urged the non-government madrasas of Assam not to take any kind of non-financial and financial favours from the government.
Arshad Madani, who had come down to the state to take part in a one-day convention organised by the state committee of Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind at Guwahati on June 22, 2010, appealed to the non-government madrasas and imams of mosques in Assam to refrain from receiving any kind of favour, including monetary incentives, from the state government. He said that receiving government aid might dilute the sacred aims and sanctity of the madrasas.
Arshad Madani alleged that the government was trying to interfere in the affairs of madrasas by providing funds and other benefits, which must not be accepted by the right minded Muslims. He said, “A madrasa is purely a religious institution meant to teach the younger generation about Islam. This institution survives on the goodwill and support of various charitable organisations and benevolent individuals. Many madrasas have been spoiled and politicised in a state like UP owing to the ruling government’s interference. This should not happen in Assam.”
The day-long convention discussed in details about the Assam government’s plan to give Rs 5 lakh to non-government madrasas and monthly salaries to imams. Arshad Madani hinted politics might be behind the government’s plans to give such monetary benefits to woo minority votes in the Assembly polls scheduled to be held next year. He, however, said the Jamiat is making the appeal in the greater interest of the madrasas and heads of mosques, without any political motive.
There are 633 madrasas in Assam which are recognised by the State Madrasa Board. Out of these recognised madrasas, 325 get annual financial assistance from the state government. However, just 74 madrasas have been taken over by the Assam government, or are affiliated to the State Madrasa Board, and receive funds annually like the general schools in the state.
Arshad Madani also pointed out some discrepancies in the ongoing pilot projects on updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), 1951. He requested the government to take corrective steps. Pilot projects of updating the register have been taken up in Chaygaon and Barpeta revenue circles of the state.
Speaking at the convention, state Jamiat president and MP Badruddin Ajmal said the state government must concentrate on solving the genuine issues of the minority. He alleged that the Congress had been using the Muslim community as a vote bank over the years.
Responding fast, the Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi, who attended a convention organised by Anjuman Minhaje Rasool, an organisation working for minorities, on June 23 promised to take up all possible measures for the welfare of the minority, tea and indigenous communities. Gogoi said, “I plan to launch a welfare scheme for maulvis and pujaris because we are secular. We will do whatever is possible.” The convention was attended by Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha K. Rahman Khan, State Cabinet Ministers Himanta Biswas Sarma and Rockbul Hussain, MLA Abdul Khaleque, besides other Muslim leaders.
Even though the main objective of the convention, headed and presided over by Maulana Syed Athar Hussain Dehlavi, was quest for peace, prosperity and opportunities for all, it turns out to be a pure political convention.
A Congressman revealed that Tarun Gogoi and his party are throwing their weight behind Anjuman as the Gogoi camp wants to ensure that Anjuman emerges as an alternative to the Jamiat, which is behind the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), before the assembly polls.
Deputy Speaker Rahman Khan spoke on the values of education and humanity in today’s world, besides urging the Government of Assam to carry out a survey of wakf properties in the state and ensure their protection. Khan said, “There are around 4 lakh wakf properties spread across India. If we invest Rs 10,000 crore to save these, we can generate an annual return of Rs 10,000 crore. If this can be done, we don’t have to beg for assistance.”
Manipur Government decided to implement the scheme of modernisation of madrasas:
The government of Manipur has resolved to implement the scheme of modernisation of madrasas as had been enshrined in the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme. The State cabinet in its meeting held on June 23, 2010 approved sanctioning of Rs 1.5 crore to the State Wakf Board for implementation of the scheme in 30 selected madrasas of Manipur. It is said that the resolution of the debate was forwarded to the State government for follow-up action at the earliest.
Federation of Madrasas, Manipur (FMM) hailed the State Cabinet recommendation of selecting 30 madrasas located in different parts of the State for extending grant-in-aid and introduction of modern subjects. Secretary of FMM, Mufti Salatur Rahaman, addressing a press conference on June 24, 2010 at Jama Masjid, Imphal said that there are 179 Islamic institutes including 72 madrasas in different parts of the State. All these institutes are registered under Wakf Board, Manipur. Out of the 72 madrasas, 16 are in Imphal East district, 19 in Imphal West district, 31 in Thoubal district, and 6 in Bishenpur district.
The failure of the state government to recognise these madrasas all these years have caused a lot of inconvenience in the administration, so the cabinet decision of identifying 30 madrasas for providing grant-in-aid of Rs 5 lakh annually and introduction of general subjects like Science, English, Computer, Mathematics, etc. is appreciable, says Rahaman.
The press conference was attended by Minority & Other Backward Classes (MOBC) Minister Mohd. Alauddin Khan. Manipur State Minorities Commission (MSMC) also conveyed their gratitude to government of Manipur for the Cabinet decision.
However, another section of Ulema associated with madrasas has rejected the state government’s decision for implementation of modernisation of madrasas.