Dehradun, 9 Oct: The passage of the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill in the Gairsain Assembly session and its subsequent conversion into an Act after the Governor’s assent has triggered a heated political confrontation in Uttarakhand between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. Significantly, the BJP has reminded that the Congress legislators had remained conspicuously silent on the Bill during the Assembly session, when it was passed but now the Congress has now begun criticising the move after the Bill became law. Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana has described the government’s decision to dissolve the Madrasa Board as unconstitutional and a direct infringement of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. He asserted that Madrasas are legally registered under the Societies Registration Act and have the freedom to seek affiliation from any educational authority of their choice.
On the other hand, reacting strongly to the opposition’s remarks, State BJP President Mahendra Bhatt today accused the Congress of engaging in appeasement politics and playing with the sentiments of the minority community for electoral gains. Bhatt remarked that, if given the opportunity, the Congress would have gone as far as to establish a Muslim University in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. He said the BJP’s stand was clear, it aims at ensuring equal educational opportunities to every child, regardless of religion or community, under a uniform and modern curriculum. Bhatt added that the Congress, which had ignored the Bill when it was tabled, is now resorting to divisive politics merely to stay relevant.
In contrast, Uttarakhand Madrasa Board Chairman Shamoon Qasmi welcomed the government’s move and termed it a historic step towards educational equality. He stated that by integrating minority students into the national curriculum, the new system would ensure their intellectual and social advancement, thereby promoting their families’ welfare and ending decades of isolation. Qasmi asserted that, with the Governor’s signature, the Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority Bill has officially become an Act and expressed confidence that the new Authority would play a vital role in delivering mainstream education to Muslim students.
At the same time, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has reiterated that the dissolution of the Madrasa Board was intended to end the practice of imparting solely religious education. He has stated that, henceforth, all children, irrespective of faith, would be educated under the New Education Policy through the Uttarakhand Education Board. Dhami also asserted that while the Congress only exploited minorities politically, the BJP government in Uttarakhand was ensuring their empowerment through reforms such as the Uniform Civil Code and support for women’s rights after the Centre’s decision on Triple Talaq. The CM further alleged that several Madrasa operators had misused public funds, prompting the government to close 224 illegal Madrasas across the state. Dhami also claimed that these operators were diverting scholarship and Mid-Day Meal funds meant for the poor students, and his government was determined to curb such malpractices through firm administrative action.
The controversy surrounding the Minority Education Act has now taken on a distinctly political tone, with the BJP portraying it as a step towards inclusive education and transparency, while the Congress has framed it as an attack on minority rights and religious freedom.
