Madani urges halt to illegal action against madrassas after HC ruling

New Delhi: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind President Hazrat Maulana Mahmood Madani has welcomed the historic decision of the Allahabad High Court regarding independent and non-affiliated religious madrassas. He said that this decision is a clear victory for the supremacy of the Indian Constitution and constitutional values.

Maulana Madani said that this decision is a clear message to all those governments and administrative officials who were trying to portray steps like closing down religious madrassas and maktabs as their achievements. He said that such steps were not only unconstitutional but ultimately became a source of embarrassment for them.

He informed that Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has been a party in the Allahabad High Court on behalf of 30 madrassas in Shravasti district and is also waging a legal and democratic struggle against the attitude of the Uttarakhand government. This decision has strengthened these efforts. He also appealed to the operators of the madrassas to continue improving their internal management and educational system so that those who oppose them do not get any excuse.

Maulana Madani said that the High Court has clearly stated that closing, sealing, or stopping the education of any madrassa merely on the basis of lack of recognition is legally wrong. The court also clarified that there is no provision in the Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Rules under which the administration can close down an unrecognized madrassa. He further added that the High Court has also upheld the constitutional principle of the Supreme Court according to which those minority educational institutions that neither receive government aid nor seek recognition are fully protected under Article 30(1) of the Constitution.

Maulana Madani appealed to all state governments, including Uttar Pradesh, to review their policies in light of this judgment and the constitutional principles laid down by the Supreme Court, and to immediately refrain from any arbitrary, illegal, or discriminatory actions against madrasas. He stated that Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind will continue its struggle to protect the educational, religious, and civil rights of minorities within the framework of the Constitution. On this occasion, Maulana Madani appreciated the patience and legal efforts of the lawyers who argued the case and the madrasas involved, and congratulated them on this success.