We'll Make Madrasa Students Ideal Citizens, Engineers, Doctors Not Stone-pelters: UP Minister Defends Madrasa Survey And Reforms

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Dharam Pal Singh on Wednesday (Sep 21) said the state government is undertaking surveys of madrasas so that students studying there get a better education.

"We'll make these madrasa students ideal citizens, engineers and doctors. We'll not make them stone-pelters," Singh said during an interview with The Indian Express.

The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh commenced surveying the Islamic education institutions earlier this month.

The survey will be carried out over 25 days by the District Minority Welfare Officers and their teams across the 78 districts of the State, along with the officials of the Education Department.

"The survey is being conducted so that students studying there get a better education. With degrees of maulvi or kamil in madrasas, no student can become IAS, IPS, doctor or engineer, until they study other subjects too." Singh said.

The minister said that the survey is being done to check the source of Madrasa funding, the basis of donations to them, whether these madrasas are registered or not, if the maulvis teaching is eligible or not, and if students have adequate facilities.

Claiming that those opposing the survey who are themselves convent educated and never studied in madrasas, the minister accused them of not wanting poor Muslim children to avail the benefits of a good education.

Singh clarified that the state government has no objection to students getting Deeni education in Arabic, Urdu and Farsi (Persian), and assured that it would continue.

"Along with that, we will also teach students Hindi, Mathematics, English, Science, Social Studies, like at other schools." he added.

Allaying fears that the survey is being carried out to target the Muslim community, the minister said, "Our goal is that after the survey, these madrasas have access to better education, have job-oriented and skill development programmes, and their needs are fulfilled."

The minister said the survey would help achieve the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Quran-carrying Muslim youths in madrasas should also be equipped to use modern technology like laptops.

Singh also spoke about the rampant abuse of young kids in a few Madrasas and the dangers of indoctrination that sometimes forces them to take up violence.

Responding to criticism from opposition parties, including SP, BSP and Congress, over the survey, Singh said, "The BJP does not see them as a vote bank, it considers Muslims as citizens of the country and wants to provide them public facilities – the facilities the Hindus get, the Muslims too should get the same. They (the SP, BSP and Congress) fear that Muslims will become voters of the BJP and hence they are opposing (the survey)."