Centre allays apprehensions, says madrasas 'reality of India'

MUMBAI: The Centre today sought to allay the apprehensions sparked by the BJP-led Maharashtra government's decision to de-recognise madrasas which give students education only on religion, saying madrasas "are a reality of India" and that "there should be no politics on the issue".

"I have assured the madrasas that the government favours education for all and I want to assure them that funds won't be a constraint," Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told PTI here.

The Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, who was here to attend an Iftar event, said the government will also consider including these Islamic-learning centres in the mainstream educational system under the Right to Education Act.

Maharashtra government yesterday said that madrasas which do not teach primary subjects such as English, Maths and Science would be considered as "non-schools" and children studying in them as "out of school" students.

However, stating that most such institutions were doing good work, Naqvi said, "Madrasas are a reality of India."

"We feel that there should be no politics on the issue of madrasas. We don't see this as vote-bank politics. This issue is related to the empowerment of the Muslim community," he said.

Naqvi, meanwhile, slammed the previous Congress led- government for bringing in the Right to Education (RTE) Act which, he said, does not consider madrasas as educational institutions.

Stressing that the BJP-led government was "committed to inclusive growth", Naqvi said, "We have to take a lenient approach. The priority should be education for all."

"The Indian Constitution guarantees education to all," he added.