No board affiliation needed for madrassas, linking education system to terrorism was unfortunate: Cleric

SAHARANPUR: Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madni on Sunday said there is no need for madrassas to get affiliated with the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrassa Education and it was unfortunate that attempts were made to link the education system to terrorism.

He also said the government need not help madrassas as they can stand "stronger than the Himalayas" with the community's help. His remarks assume significance in the backdrop of the Uttar Pradesh government ordering a survey of all private madrassas in the state last month, saying necessary facilities will be provided to them based on the study.

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"Darul Uloom Deoband and Ulemas have played an important role in the nation's independence. And the main objective was to make India independent. No board in the world can understand the aim behind the establishment of madrassas and hence there is no need for them to get affiliated with any board," he said at a meeting of madrassa operators here.

"It is unfortunate that question marks are being raised on madrassas and attempts are being made to link them to terrorism. Madrassas and the Jamiat do not have even the slightest of links with politics," he added. Madni further said the government need not fund madrassas as the community bears the cost of education. "The 'quam' (community) will continue to do so. We will stand stronger than the Himalayas." Darul Uloom Deoband is the biggest organisation of madrassas in the country and around 4,500 such schools are affiliated with it.

Of these, 2,100 madrassas are in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, the working committee of Kul Hind Raabta-e-Madaris-e-Islamia had convened two-day a meeting at Darul Uloom which ended on Sunday. Chairing that meeting, Darul Uloom Deoband mohatamim (vice chancellor) Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani said madrassa education system should remain unchanged, failing which it will deviate from its aim. The government survey in Uttar Pradesh is nearing completion in all 75 districts and the teams will submit their reports to the respective district magistrates by October 31.