Government-run madrassas in Assam will now remain shut on Sundays and not Fridays, state education minister Himanta Biswasarma declared on Tuesday and it came into effect on the first Friday of December.
In a direct reference to Pakistan and Bangladesh, the education minister told the media, “Madrassas remain closed on Fridays in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but we have to follow the law of the land.”
“According to Indian laws, Sunday is a holiday for educational institutes. Therefore, if a government-run madrassa in the state is found closed on Friday, the government will place its principal under suspension.”
However, various Muslim organisations maintain that madrassas have remained shut on Fridays since their inception. The first of the madrassas are said to have started in Assam in the late 1930s.
Aman Wadud, an advocate and social activist, said the notification to have a holiday on Sunday comes from section 20(5) of Assam Education Rules and Orders 1955-1956. The same provision also states that Sanskrit schools will observe "Pratipads Astamis" as holidays.
Himanta Biswasarma, who was the education minister in erstwhile congress-led dispensation too, didn’t take any such decision earlier.
Assam has close to 2000 functioning madrassas -- some 700 of them aided by the government.
With 34.15% of total state population, Assam has the second largest Muslim presence after Jammu and Kashmir.
While some Muslim organisations such as AMSU have hit the streets protesting against the decision, others are also mulling over approaching the High Court against this order.
Comments
0 comment