Assam CM Himanta Sarma thinks 'madrasa' word should cease to exist
May 22, 2022
New Delhi [India], May 23 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the word "madrasa" should cease to exist while stressing the "general education" in schools for all.
Speaking at an event in Delhi, the Chief Minister said as long as the word "madrasa" exists, children will not be able to think about becoming doctors and engineers.
"If you tell them that they will not become doctors or engineers if they study in madrasas, they themselves will refuse to go. Teach the Quran to your children, but at home. Admitting children in madrasas is a violation of their human rights," he pointed out.
The Chief Minister said there should be stress on teaching science, maths, biology, botany, and zoology to all children but they should study to become doctors, engineers, professors and scientists.
Replying to a question that students in madrasas are extremely talented, they can memorise every word of the Quran easily, Sarma said, "All Muslims were Hindus. No one was born a Muslim (in India). Everyone was a Hindu in India. So, if a Muslim child is extremely meritorious, I will give partial credit to his Hindu past."
In 2020, the Assan government decided to dissolve all government-run madrassas and convert them into general educational institutions to facilitate a secular education system.
Following this, the Gauhati High Court upheld the Assam Repealing Act, 2020, under which all provincial (government-funded) madrassas in the state were to be converted into normal schools, in the same year.
