Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind organised a major conference in Azamgarh under the banner of ‘Tahaffuz-e-Madaris’ (Protection of Madrasas), raising alarm over what it described as an escalating government crackdown on Islamic educational institutions across several states.
Addressing a large gathering, Jamiat President Maulana Syed Arshad Madani said the event was not a celebration but a call to resist what he termed “arbitrary and unjust notices” being issued to madrasas—some demanding closures, others threatening demolition.
Madani highlighted that after similar actions in Assam, states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Haryana have also started issuing notices, with recent developments in Panipat raising further concerns. He accused the government of targeting madrasas on religious grounds and warned that such actions were an affront to India’s secular and democratic framework.
“These madrasas, which once played a critical role in the country’s freedom struggle, are now being labelled as centres of terrorism,” Madani said. “It is unacceptable. I will stand against these injustices till my last breath.”
Drawing parallels between mosques and madrasas, he emphasized the latter’s importance in Islamic education. “If mosques are places of worship, madrasas are where people learn how to worship. They are equally sacred,” he said.
Madani condemned the use of bulldozers against institutions that he said once stood against British colonial rule. He added that targeting religious institutions purely based on faith violates the core principles of the Indian Constitution.
Speakers from various Islamic schools of thought joined the conference, collectively criticizing increasing demolitions, restrictions on religious practices such as the call to prayer, and the broader erosion of civil rights.
The Jamiat reiterated its commitment to pursue legal avenues to defend madrasas and resist what it sees as discriminatory policies.
“This is not a movement against the public but a stand against unjust government actions that infringe on our constitutional rights,” Madani asserted.
