Following the closure, Muslims gathered outside the district magistrate’s office and staged a protest, demanding to reopen the gates of the institutions, which are home to hundreds of children.

 

In a week-long crackdown, Uttarakhand’s Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) has reportedly sealed 11 madrasas (Muslim educational institutions), citing legal violations.

Officials asserted that the sealed madrasas, including Madarsa Jamia Islamia Noor Ul Huda, were not registered with the state Madrasa Board or the Education Department. The move has sparked widespread protests and condemnation from Muslim leaders.

According to reports, the madrasas also had attached mosques, which were used by local Muslims for daily prayers. The institutions have been closed at a time when Muslims across the country are observing Ramadan, which commenced on 2 March.

During the holy month, Muslim worshippers spend long hours in mosques and religious institutions for prayers. Madrasas also play a vital role, serving as centres for Quranic recitation, Taraweeh prayers, and religious teachings.

Muslims stage protests

Following the closures, members of the Muslim community gathered outside the district magistrate’s office on Wednesday, 6 March, staging a protest and demanding the reopening of the institutions, which housed hundreds of children. The demonstrators described the move as “unjustified”.

According to reports, the protesters raised slogans and warned that if the administration did not reconsider its decision, their agitation would intensify. However, tensions escalated when police intervened, using lathi charges to disperse the crowd and detaining several individuals.

Speaking on the police action, Superintendent of Police (SP) City Pramod Kumar stated: “Police had to intervene after protesters refused to leave the premises of the district magistrate’s office despite repeated requests.” He added that some individuals were taken into custody as a preventive measure but were later released.

‘Blatant discrimination,’ says Muslim leader

Muslim leaders criticised the move, alleging that the gates of the institutions were deliberately locked during the holy month, describing it as “blatant discrimination”.

Commenting on the MDDA’s decision, the president of a Muslim organisation, Naeem Qureshi, said: “Officials did not serve any notice before taking action, nor did they provide any explanation under which law these madrasas and mosques were sealed.”

“The arbitrary manner in which this has been done is unacceptable. We demand an immediate explanation and the reopening of our religious institutions,” Clarion quoted Qureshi as saying.

Meanwhile, MDDA authorities defended their actions, stating that the madrasas were operating without proper registration, which they said constituted “legal violations”.

This move comes months after the Uttarakhand government ordered a comprehensive verification drive targeting madrasas across the state in December 2024. Inspector General of Police (Crime, Law, and Order) Nilesh Anand Bharne announced that the drive was based on direct instructions from Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami’s office.

As per the directive, the verification process will focus on several key aspects, including checking the registration status of madrasas, examining funding sources, and verifying the backgrounds of students, particularly those from outside the state.

Source: Siasat Daily