AhlulBayt News Agency: The Uttarakhand state assembly in India has enacted the Minority Educational Institutions Act 2025, which will lead to the dissolution of the existing Madrasa Board by July 1, 2026, replacing it with a newly established regulatory body. This legislation has triggered widespread condemnation from Muslim community leaders and opposition parties, who argue that the law undermines religious freedoms and minority rights.
The bill, introduced by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, passed amid intense opposition, protests, and walkouts by rival legislators. During the heated parliamentary debate, an amendment removing Section 14 (T) was accepted, following a proposal by MLA Trilok Singh Cheema.
Under the new statute, the newly formed Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority will oversee all minority-run educational institutions, including 452 madrasas registered throughout the state. The government defends the move as an effort to enhance educational quality, transparency, and equitable governance. However, Muslim representatives contend that the law is a calculated attempt to diminish the cultural autonomy of their religious schools.
The bill expands minority status recognition beyond Muslims to include Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Buddhists, and Parsis. It also mandates that institutions seeking official recognition must register under the Act and hold property titles in their name.
BJP officials maintain that the legislation aims to standardize educational oversight and provide uniform benefits across minority groups. Critics, however, view it as a covert strategy to erase the distinct identity and independence of madrasa institutions.
Religious figures from both Uttarakhand and neighboring Uttar Pradesh have vocally opposed the bill. Maulana Danish Qadri of Moradabad lamented the government’s interference under the guise of reform, describing it as a form of double standards. Meanwhile, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, leader of the All India Muslim Jamaat, accused the state government of imposing a Hindu nationalist agenda, citing previous contentious legislation such as the Uniform Civil Code bill and impending laws on religious conversions.
Opposition lawmakers in the assembly accused the BJP of targeting Muslim educational institutions under the pretext of reform, with several vociferously protesting the so-called “anti-minority” policies. Outside the assembly, a Congress legislator criticized the government for rushing the bill through without adequate discussion, alleging it was designed to suppress madrasas ahead of upcoming elections.
Members of the Muslim community fear losing control over their madrasa system, which has traditionally blended religious instruction with modern academic subjects. A madrasa educator from Haridwar expressed concern that despite already following state educational standards, the government’s takeover threatens the autonomy of these institutions.
Parents of madrasa students have also voiced worries about the potential loss of religious teachings. One father from Dehradun told Clarion India that his children receive both secular education and religious values at the madrasa, and fears government control could lead to restrictions on Islamic teachings, including the Quran.
Experts see this legislative move as part of a broader pattern by the BJP-led state government, which has recently pushed through the Uniform Civil Code bill and is considering more stringent laws on religious conversion. A political analyst in Dehradun remarked that these actions reflect an ongoing strategy aligned with Hindutva ideology, systematically marginalizing Muslim communities.
The dismantling of the Madrasa Board marks a significant policy shift in Uttarakhand’s approach to minority education. For many Muslims in the state, it represents an attack on their religious identity and a loss of voice in educational matters affecting their children.
Maulana Razvi summed up the widespread sentiment by stating, “These laws will not address underlying issues; instead, they deepen divisions. True harmony will only come when all communities are treated with fairness and respect.”
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