Murli Manohar Joshi invited to inaugurate madrasa in Kanpur

KANPUR: Senior BJP leader and Kanpur MP Murli Mahohar Joshi has received an invitation to inaugurate an upgraded madrasa in Kanpur and address its students.

According to madrasa Principal Mohammad Mehraj, "we had contacted local BJP leaders a month ago expressing our desire to get the madrasa' inaugurated by Joshi, to which he had agreed."

However, a controversy has broken out in this regard with the local BJP leaders receiving reports that the madrasa has already been inaugurated.

"Some local residents informed BJP leaders today morning that the madrasa has already been inaugurated by city Qazi and children are being taught there," BJP city President Surendranath Maithani told PTI.

"Since the madrasa has already been inaugurated no question arises of inaugurating it again. Now, Joshi will not go there for inauguration. However we will still verify the facts in this regard," he said.

After receiving the invitation, the local BJP leaders including Maithani had gone to the site for inspection and were told that it has not been inaugurated before, following which Joshi had accepted the invitation.

Madrasa authorities, however, accepted that classes are being conducted there but refuted reports of it being already inaugurated.

"The fact that madrasa has been inaugurated earlier is not true. Currently Arabic is being taught there and construction is going on. When it will be completed, other subjects will also be taught" Mehraj said.

Al Jamiat-Ul-Nooria madrasa is located at Noori Road locality, where 60 per cent of the population is Muslim, mostly Sunnis.

Asked about the reason behind inviting Joshi for the inauguration, Mehraj said, "we want to bridge the gaps between BJP and muslims and want to create a better understanding between the two".