Media: India’s madrasa crackdown fuels fresh Islamophobia concerns

Authorities in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand have shut five more madrasas under a new regulatory framework for minority educational institutions, Muslim Network TV reports, as the state government steps up scrutiny of Islamic schools.

The latest closures bring to 20 the number of madrasas that have been either shut or sealed since the state government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), introduced new rules requiring Islamic schools to obtain fresh recognition from the authorities.

The measures have raised concerns among Muslim communities and rights advocates, who say a series of policies introduced by Hindu nationalist Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s government could have a disproportionate impact on Muslim religious and community institutions.

Of the 20 madrasas targeted in the latest campaign, 17 have been physically sealed by authorities, while the managements of three others were required to submit written undertakings confirming that they had stopped operating.

Three of the latest cases were recorded in Dehradun, the state capital. Authorities sealed Madrasa Jamia-tus-Salam Al-Islamia, while two other institutions provided written assurances that they had ceased operations.

Two additional madrasas were sealed in Haldwani after officials said their managements had failed to provide recognition documents required under the state’s new regulatory system for minority educational institutions.

The latest action follows Uttarakhand’s decision in July to become the first Indian state to abolish its statutory Madrasa Board, which had overseen recognized Islamic schools, and replace it with a single authority responsible for regulating educational institutions operated by all officially recognized religious minorities.

Before the board was abolished, 452 madrasas were registered with it.

The BJP-led government had previously carried out a separate campaign targeting madrasas it classified as unrecognized, sealing more than 200 institutions across the state.

The current measures have extended scrutiny to schools that had operated under the previous regulatory system but are now required to obtain recognition under the new framework.

Dhami’s government says the changes are intended to improve educational standards and establish a common regulatory framework for minority institutions.

The chief minister has also defended the madrasa policy in broader terms, saying there was “no justification for education inspired by tribal mentality and extremism” and calling for madrasas to follow the curriculum prescribed by the state.

The issue forms part of wider changes introduced in Uttarakhand under Dhami’s administration, whose policies have frequently reflected priorities associated with India’s Hindu nationalist movement.

Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to implement a Uniform Civil Code, replacing religion-specific personal laws in areas including marriage and inheritance.

Authorities have also carried out demolitions and other measures involving Muslim religious institutions and properties, prompting allegations from critics that enforcement has not always been even-handed.

The BJP maintains that its policies are religion-neutral and are intended to ensure that the same laws and regulatory standards apply across communities.

Critics and observers, however, argue that regulations presented as uniform are placing increased government oversight on Muslim institutions at a time when Hindu nationalist politics has gained a stronger influence over governance in the state.

By Tamilla Hasanova