Madrasas public property, using bulldozers to raze not right: Badruddin Ajmal

Lok Sabha MP and president of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) Badruddin Ajmal on Thursday said the current move by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Assam to use bulldozers is illegal and should stop.

The latest incident took place on Wednesday when a madrasa was demolished in Bongaigaon district after a teacher in the institute was held for alleged jihadi links.

“The government has demolished three madrasas in one month. We have remained silent. If there’s any illegal activity, action should be taken against individuals. We are with the government on it,” Ajmal said on Thursday during a visit to the madrasa demolished on Wednesday.

Also Read: Assam: Another madrasa demolished over alleged links to terror outfits

“But madrasas are public property and using bulldozers to demolish them isn’t right. There’s rule of law and a Constitution in the country and the government should abide by it,” he added.

Earlier, the AIUDF chief said private madrasas have been built with public money over many years and provides education to Muslim students. He termed the present move as illegal and said the party will move the Supreme Court, if needed.

“There’s politics behind the move. BJP needs at least 10% of Muslim votes to form government at Centre again in 2024. Therefore, the party is using all tactics needed to instill fear among Muslims so that they vote for BJP. I suspect such a plan,” Ajmal said.

Reacting to Ajmal’s accusations, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified that the state government has no intention of demolishing madrasas that have no links with jihadi activities.

“Government of Assam doesn’t have any intention to go on demolishing madrasas. Our only intention is to see that madrasas aren’t used by any jihadi elements. Once madrasas aren’t used for jihadi work or for the purpose of expanding jihadi ideology, then why would there be demolitions?” he said.

“But if we get specific inputs on any madrasa being used for expanding jihadi activity or anti-India activity under the guise of a madrasa, we are going to take strongest possible action in each any every such case. If AIUDF or Ajmal wants to go to court on the issue, who am I to stop him?” said Himanta.

Since March this year, police in Assam have arrested around 40 people including a Bangladeshi national for their alleged links to terror outfits Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and attempting to set up jihadi sleeper cells in the state.

Earlier this month, CM Sarma stated that the state has become a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism and five jihadi modules with links to Al Qaeda-affiliated terror outfits in Bangladesh had been busted since March.

“Interestingly, the hub of all these activities, as of now, appears to be ‘madrasas’. I am not generalising, but whoever has been arrested till date have had some connection with ‘madrasas’ or were acting as preachers in some mosque,” Sarma had said.

He later announced that police verification and online registration will soon become mandatory for imams and madrasa teachers from outside the state.

Meanwhile, the Bongaigaon administration in Assam issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC in the entire district with immediate effect from Thursday evening due to likelihood of “breach of public peace and tranquility” following arrest of persons with alleged links to jihadi outfits like Al Qaida in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Bangladesh-based Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).

“Due to prevailing situation in some parts of the district after apprehending anti-national activists, there is every likelihood of breach of public peace and tranquility,” said the order issued by district magistrate Nabadeep Pathak.

“Information has also been received that due to activities of fundamentalist organisations, altercations may occur (and) this may lead to public breach of peace...such incidents may lead to breach of public order...immediate prohibitory orders are necessary to maintain public peace,” it added.

The order restrains assembly of 5 or more persons in public places, organising of meetings, processions, rallies, demonstrations at public places without permission, carrying of firearms, other weapons and liquid acid, wearing of combat dress resembling uniform worn by police and other security forces and indiscriminate use of loudspeakers.

Police, security forces and government officials have been exempted from purview of the order.