Opposing the new bill to convert government-run Madrasas to regular schools under the state board, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has planned to challenge the legislation in court.
The Act which will come into effect from 1 April, seeks to abolish the Assam Madrasa Education (Provincialization) Act, 1995 and the Assam Madrasa Education (Provincialization of Services of Employees and Re-Organisation of Madrasa Educational Institutions) Act, 2018.
The bill was passed amid protests from opposition parties.
“These Madrasas are operating since even before independence. The government itself had provisonalised these institutions and now it is killing them. It is like killing its own child” Dr Hafiz Rafiqul Islam, general secretary of AIUDF told reporters.
“The ones in favour of the bill say that the government does not want to fund religious education. In Assam, there is Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University which provides courses on Vedas, Puaranas and Gita,” he added.
He also pointed out that the Madrasas in Assam till class 10, have all the regular subjects along with Arabic literature and theology.
Around 1,40,000 students are enrolled in more than 600 government-run madrasas in Assam, according to AIUDF leader.
Also read: Assam Cabinet Clears Plan To Convert 600 Govt-Aided Madrasas Into Schools
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Rushda Fathima Khan is the Staff Reporter for The Cognate.
