Muslim leaders and political voices have raised alarm over the West Bengal government’s decision to close 252 madrasas and issue show-cause notices to 100 more, warning that the move puts thousands of students and teachers in a precarious position.
Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Minister KshudiramTudu confirmed the action, stating that the 100 institutions served with notices would face similar closure if their responses proved unsatisfactory. Government surveys examined infrastructure, student-teacher ratios, curriculum standards, and administrative compliance.District-wise, Malda recorded the highest number of closures at around 44 to 45 madrasas, followed by North Dinajpur with approximately 37, South 24 Parganas with around 32, and Murshidabad and Nadia with roughly 25 each.
Maulana Shafique Qasmi, imam of Kolkata’s Nakhoda Masjid, said, “The shutting down of the madrasa will destroy the future of students who are studying there and teachers who are teaching there. I believe that the government should review it.” He also called on BJP’s minority morcha leaders to take up the matter directly with the government.
The Indian Secular Front echoed these concerns. The party clarified it has no objection to closing madrasas that exist only on paper, but questioned the closure of long-running, operational institutions on grounds of missing approvals or infrastructure gaps alone.