Madarsas in Uttar Pradesh celebrated 70th Independence Day with traditional zeal on Tuesday, but disregarded controversial diktat issued by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. The government has made it mandatory for all madarsas to observe the national day by hoisting flags and singing the national anthem and video graphing the event.
But, Madrasas were not happy with the diktat. Officials of a madarsa told NDTV that they have always been celebrating Independence Day and Republic Day by hoisting flag and singing, Jana Gana Mana.
“We wonder why only madrasas have been singled out to prove their patriotism. There are also other educational institutions run by other minority groups in the state. Why no such orders for them?” a teacher of the Bulandshahr madrasa told NDTV.
A report by Hindustan Times suggested that many UP madrasas had defied Yogi government’s orders. They didn’t sing the national anthem and also didn’t record the Independence Day celebrations.
Many madrasas have openly opposed the government’s order. “In Kanpur, Meerut and Bareilly, three of UP’s biggest madrasa centres, many Islamic schools sang only Saare Jahan Se Accha and hoisted the Tricolour,” added Hindustan Times report.
The officials of madarsas said, “Students hoisted the flag and celebrated the occasion with traditional fervour. The government order is an attempt to test our patriotism which is wrong,” Haji Mohd Saleeh, convener of the Sunni Ulema Council, was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
UP has about 16,000 madrasas, but only 600 of them are getting aid from the government.
