Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Mayawati Slams BJP-Led Gov't Over Survey of Private Seminaries

Late last month, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government announced its plan to conduct a survey of unrecognized madrasas (Islamic seminaries) in the state. The move, however, has evoked criticism from opposition lawmakers. Ex-state chief and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati has joined the BJP's critics in the state.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and former state chief Mayawati on Friday ripped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in India's Uttar Pradesh over its decision to survey private madrasas (Islamic seminaries) that are not supported by the state administration.

Mayawati, whose party the BSP is a key opposition party in Uttar Pradesh (UP), accused the BJP government of "terrorizing" Muslims with such initiatives.

"Complaints of Muslim society being exploited, neglected and riot-victimized etc. have been common in Congress times, yet after coming to power by doing narrow[minded] politics in the name of 'appeasement' by BJP, the game of being oppressed and terrorized (Muslim teasing) continues uninterrupted, which is very sad and condemnable," Mayawati wrote on Twitter on Friday.

The former state chief suggested that rather than interfering in the institutions of Muslims, the BJP could have done better by working on improving government-run schools in Uttar Pradesh.

"In this sequence, now the BJP government has a sharp eye on madrasas in UP. In the name of the madrasa survey, efforts to intervene in private madrasas running on community donations are also unfair, while the government should focus on improving the condition of government-aided madrasas and government schools," she added.

Last week, a prominent Muslim parliamentarian, Asaduddin Owaisi, slammed the BJP government, alleging bias against Muslims.

"Madrasas are as per Article 30 of Indian Constitution then why Uttar Pradesh government has ordered the survey? It's not a survey but a mini-NRC [National Register of Citizens]. Some madrasas are under Uttar Pradesh madrasa board. Government can't interfere with our rights under Article 30. They want to harass Muslims," All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Owaisi stated while complaining against the BJP government's decision.

A total of 16,461 madrasas are currently functioning in Uttar Pradesh, and only 560 of these receive funds from the government.

Besides this, no new madrasas have been recognized by the Uttar Pradesh government in the last six years.