Exclusive || Chairman of Madrasa Board backs his ‘Darul Uloom doesn’t need recognition’ statement, board member feels otherwise

Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, Chairman of the U.P. Madrasa Board, has cited the readings of the Madrasa Niymavali Act 2016 to back his recent comment wherein he stated that influential Islamic seminary Darul Uloom does not need any recognition from the U.P. Madrasa Board as its stands parallel to the Madrasa Education Board. While speaking to The Quotes, Dr Iftikhar claimed that Madarsa Niymavali Act 2016 categorically mentioned that the degree granted by the Darul Uloom is equivalent to Madrasa Education Board.

“The Alimeeyat or Faceelat granted by Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulma Lucknow/Darul Uloom Deoband/Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur/Madrasa Alia (Oriental College), Rampur/Jamiatul Salfia Varanasi/Madrastul Islah Azamgarh/Jamea Asharafia Mubarakpur, Azamgarh, Jamiatul Falah Bilaryaganj, Azamgarh, Sultanul Madaris, Lucknow shall be considered equivalent to Ali/Fazil of Madarsa Education Board Uttar Pradesh,” read Madarsa Niymavali Act 2016 (Pg 27), learnt The Quotes.

However, Dr Iftikhar’s comment drew sharp criticism from the members of the U.P. Madrasa Board, who claimed that Dr. should not make such a comment as it would be interpreted as the stand of the board and government.

At the request of anonymity, a board member told The Quotes that Dr Iftikhar Ahmed apologised to all the Muslim families and children in the state who are seeking better education and want integration with the Madrasa Board.

Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India has always stressed better education, infrastructure and lifestyle for the Muslim community. The Madrasa survey in Uttar Pradesh has been conducted to make an essential step towards the dream of our Prime Minister. Darul Uloom should also integrate itself with the U.P. Madrasa Board and must join everyone towards the welfare of the community,” a prominent board member told The Quotes.

In response to the readings of the Madarsa Niymavali Act 2016, the member claimed that recognition with the board is the need of the hour, and the Chairman of the U.P. Madrasa Board must consider these things before making such illogical comments.

Notably, the Saharanpur district minority welfare officer recently shocked everyone by revealing that Darul Uloom Deoband is not registered with the UP Madrassa Board and hence termed it ‘illegal.’ The spokesperson of the Deoband-based seminary reacted to the revelation by stating that Darul Uloom is registered under the Societies Registration Act, and both religious and modern education is imparted here as envisaged in the Constitution of India. “There is no question of being illegal,” he said.

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U.P. Madrassa Board chairman Iftikhar Ahmed Javed backed that statement and criticised the Saharanpur district minority welfare officer. “I have strong apprehension with the use of words like ‘illegal’ It is registered under the Societies Act, and it propagates religious philosophy and ideology to half the Muslims of the world called Deobandis. ‘Unrecognised’ is not synonymous with illegal,” Dr Ahmed told TOI.

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Mr Bhupendra Chaudhary, BJP’s state president, reacted to the statement made by the Chairman of the U.P. Madrasa Board by stating that country is run by the constitution. “If any work is found illegal and anti-constitutional, then action will be taken against it,” said Bhupendra Chaudhary. In a recently concluded Madrassa survey in the state, close to eight thousand Madrassas were found unregistered, out of which reports have suggested that Muradabad has the maximum number of such Madrassas, Binaur and Basti followed the list.

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