The West Bengal government has announced the closure of 252 madrassas following a state-wide survey that revealed many of these institutions lacked the necessary approvals and basic infrastructure. Additionally, show-cause notices have been issued to approximately 100 more madrassas for similar reasons. Officials reported these findings on Sunday, emphasizing the need for compliance with educational standards.
Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department Minister Kshudiram Tudu said madrassas that have requisite approvals will continue to function.
The field-level survey was carried out by the department across all districts of West Bengal since early June to assess the infrastructure, approval status and management systems of government and private madrassas. “Complaints against madrassas had repeatedly been received. “Madrassas being run in accordance with the law and with government permission will continue to function. But the government will not allow madrassas to be opened indiscriminately and cause trouble.”
Officials said the seminaries have been served a show-cause notice. Further action will be taken after examining their responses, they said. The exercise was initiated following directions from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to ascertain the number of authorised and unauthorised madrassas in different districts, Tudu said. State Panchayati Raj Minister Dilip Ghosh said there had been several controversies surrounding madrassas and claimed that in several cases people arrested for their alleged involvement in extremist activities were found to have been working as teachers in some such institutions. There have been instances of people carrying out anti-national activities from seminaries,” he said.
The opposition Trinamool Congress’s MLA Kunal Ghosh said all madrassas should not be painted with the same brush.
