Guwahati: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the Assam government on January 4, 2023 for ordering all teachers from outside the state who teach in Madrasas in the state to appear “from time to time” in the closest police station.
Further, Owaisi questioned the Assam government and said what if the same prohibition is laid for the people of Assam in other states? The AIMIM chief also asked about how the RSS-back schools are running across the country.
Reacting to the state government decision Owaisi taking to his Twitter handle wrote, “Assam is not a foreign country where Indians have to ask for your permission. Right to occupation, move & settle in any part of India is a fundamental right. What about teachers in RSS-run schools? What if other states start putting the same requirement on people from Assam?”
On January 1, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the state’s police department is conducting operations against jihadist activity.
“Assam Police under the leadership of DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta has been actively working with the Muslim community of Assam to rationalize the madrassa education and cracking jihadi module in the state,” the Chief Minister added.
All Qawmi, or community-run, madrassas in Assam are now required by the state government to register on a government website and abide by a set of rules.
Quami or Qawmi madrassas have their own curricula and syllabi and are supported by contributions. There are over 3,000 of these madrassas in Assam.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on December 5 announced that a model school will be built where a Madrassa had previously been and where a teacher had been detained for allegedly having ties to jihadi organisations.
“The district administration with the help of the locals carried out a demolition drive at Bongaigaon Jogighopa’s Kabaitri Markazul Maa Arif Madrassa on August 31, 2022. Whatsoever, few were unhappy following the incident. But as I have come before the public today, if they allow then our government will construct one model school in place of this Madrassa which will have classes from Nursery to 12. The public too wants to put forward their suggestions with respect to subjects that the district commissioner will be taking up. We wish to construct a school here from where bright students are produced who can later take up professional careers such as doctors and engineers,” said CM Sarma while speaking to the media in Bongaigaon.