By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 5 Mar: A day after some Muslim organisations had organised a protest against the government’s action to demolish certain madrasas, the authorities in Dehradun district, including the district administration and the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) have asserted that action is being taken only against the madrasas that are operating illegally.
It may be recalled that Garhwal Post had last month published a report sharing with the readers that Dehradun District Administration and the State Home Department had on the direction of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted a thorough investigation into illegal madrasas, While the details of such madrasas operating illegally in and around Dehradun have already been gathered but follow up action is totally missing. Questions are now being raised about the administration’s lack of action against those identified in the verification. Various ‘Hindu’ organisations had also raised the issue and had demanded the closure of these illegal institutions.
In response, the district administration, the police and the MDDA began demolishing the illegally constructed and operating Madrasas in the district. However, as the Uttarakhand government intensified its campaign to seal illegal madrasas, several Muslim organisations launched protests against the move. Police administration verification has identified over 500 unauthorised madrasas across the state, which are set to be sealed as part of the ongoing crackdown. Muslim organisations opposing the action have cited Ramzan as a reason to halt the crackdown. However, the administration has firmly stated that the action only targets illegal madrasas and does not affect those that are properly registered.
MDDA has justified its actions by stating that buildings constructed without permission are being sealed. Similarly, the Minority Affairs Department and District Administration have clarified that only unregistered madrasas are being shut down, while those adhering to legal regulations remain unaffected.
It may be noted here that the district administration has already sealed 11 illegal madrasas and one mosque in the Vikas Nagar Pargana region. SDM Vinod Kumar admitted that the mosque’s construction was being carried out without administrative approval, leading to its sealing.
The action also aligns with Supreme Court directives, which mandate that no new religious structure can be built without prior approval from the District Magistrate (DM). Even for repairs to existing religious places, DM’s approval is required.
According to intelligence reports, several illegal madrasas have been identified in districts bordering Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, unregistered madrasas have also been found in areas bordering Nepal. The Intelligence Department has alerted the government about their presence, suggesting further action may follow. Sources claim that the verification report has identified 125 madrasas in four areas of Dehradun district. In Vikas Nagar Tehsil, 78 madrasas have been identified, with only 18 being duly registered while 60 are stated to be operating illegally. These illegal madrasas are reportedly supported by institutions in Deoband, Saharanpur, and Delhi. In Dehradun Sadar, 33 madrasas have been identified. Of these, only 10 are duly registered while 23 are running illegally.
In September 2023, the Uttarakhand government had demolished several illegal religious structures, citing urban planning violations and security concerns. The state’s Uniform Civil Code (UCC) panel has also been reviewing regulations on religious institutions, contributing to heightened scrutiny.
The crackdown however has stirred debate, with authorities maintaining that lawful institutions have nothing to fear, while unregistered establishments must comply with regulations.
