Madrasas are being shut down one after another in India’s Uttarakhand state. The state government has already closed 20 madrasas. Authorities cite as justification that these madrasas lack accreditation and do not provide standard-quality education.
In line with this, authorities have sealed several madrasas in Dehradun and Haldwani. Parag Madhukar Dhakate, special secretary of Uttarakhand’s Minority Welfare Department, said action has been taken against three madrasas in Dehradun. The Jamia-tus-Salam al-Islamia madrasa in Azad Colony has been sealed. Authorities at Madrasa Dar-e-Arqam and Madrasa Darul Uloom Rahimia, both in Majra in the same area, have confirmed in writing that they have halted their own operations.
Dhakate said, “So far, 17 madrasas have been sealed across the state. Authorities at three more institutions have confirmed in writing that they have halted operations. This brings the total number of madrasas shut down in the state to 20.”
Meanwhile, a similar operation has been carried out in Haldwani, Nainital district. He said Madrasa Jamia Nuria Barkate Amina, on Shani Bazar Road in the city’s Gaujajali North area, and another madrasa in Indira Nagar, Banbhulpura, have also been sealed.
Haldwani City Magistrate A.B. Bajpai said madrasa authorities had been asked to submit documents establishing the institutions’ recognition, but since they could not produce the required paperwork, the buildings were sealed under standard procedure. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered that no educational institution in the state be allowed to operate without meeting the required rules and recognition standards.