Datia (Madhya Pradesh): The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairman, Priyank Kanungo, has claimed to have taken cognizance after it came to the fore that Islamic education is allegedly being given to Hindu students at a madrasa in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia.
The matter pertains to the Arabia Madrasa of Primary and Secondary education Datia. A total of 67 children are enrolled in the Madrasa and out of which 26 are Hindu. As per details, accessed by Free Press Journal, it has been alleged that Hindu students are being allegedly taught Islamic education and are taught the Urdu language.
However, the Madrasa has rebuffed the claims of saying no specific Islamic education is being given to the Hindu students, however, if a child is interested and his parents give it in writing, then the student is being taught the Urdu language.
On December 9, NCPCR member Nivedita Sharma visited Arabia Madrasa along with other places for inspection. During the inspection, she was informed about Hindu students studying in Madrasa.
The visit followed a notice to the Datia collector advising the officer to form a team to intervene in the matter and enrol the children in government schools.
On instructions of the Collector, SDM Rishi Kumar along with his team and education department officials reached Arabia Madrasa and investigated.
According to Rishi in the preliminary investigation, "irregularities" have been found in the records.
The SDM said investigations in this regard have been taken up and further details will be shared later.
Madrasa Director, Moen Khan, who spoke to FPJ, said that “our Madrasa gets grants from the government and we teach the children only the courses authorized by the government. Hindu children also study in our madrassa, but Urdu is being taught only to Muslim children. But if a Hindu child wants to learn Urdu and his parents give it in writing, then we teach him the language”.
“There is also a teacher in our madrassa to teach religious education and we give religious education only to Muslim children”, the Director stated.
