Mumbai, June 7: The West Bengal government’s directive to conduct a survey of madrasahs has sparked political reactions from Rajiv Rai, a Member of Parliament from the Samajwadi Party, and Maulana Sajid Rashidi, President of the All India Imam Association.
In an interview, Rajiv Rai questioned the timing of the survey, stating, “When they (Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari) were in the TMC, why didn’t they conduct this survey? These people are opportunists. They have neither vision nor ideology. The power chair is everything for them.”
Regarding the controversy surrounding Khan Sir, Rai emphasized the need for an impartial investigation, saying, “Khan Sir is a ‘Khan.’ Regardless of the situation, a fair inquiry is essential. This is also a matter of students’ futures, which must be considered.” He also criticized the BJP for their silence on the rising prices of LPG cylinders, stating, “When in opposition, Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani would sit on the streets with cylinders; now everyone is quiet. This (BJP) is a government with a dual character.”
Maulana Sajid Rashidi pointed out that there are a total of 614 madrasahs funded by the government in West Bengal. He explained, “The government provides them with grants, arranges teachers, oversees infrastructure, and monitors the education system. The government has authority and control over these madrasahs. Additionally, there are thousands of madrasahs without any government records.”
He further elaborated, “The government can only order a survey for those madrasahs it funds. For other madrasahs, the government can only issue directives for registration. There are two types of madrasahs: one government-funded and the other operating on zakat. The government cannot intervene in the 2.5 percent of madrasahs running on zakat. Changes can be made in government-funded madrasahs, but it is better for the government to stay away from those operating on zakat.”
It is noteworthy that the West Bengal government has ordered a comprehensive survey to investigate the operations, infrastructure, and legal status of madrasahs. An official notification was issued by the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department on June 5. The government has instructed all district magistrates to submit detailed reports by July 5. According to the notification, district administrations are required to collect data on the location of madrasahs, year of establishment, registration details, and the availability of valid documents, along with information on the number of students, teachers, and non-teaching staff.
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