Aligarh: A fresh controversy erupted in Uttar Pradesh after Minister of State Raghuraj Singh made a series of provocative statements in Aligarh, alleging without presenting any official data that individuals arrested in recent terror cases were connected to mosques or madrasas. He further stated that “educated Muslims become bigger terrorists,” an assertion that legal experts and community leaders called unverified, inflammatory, and potentially damaging to social harmony.
Responding to questions on the Delhi blast investigation, Singh claimed that minority institutions should be shut down. He referenced Osama bin Laden’s education to generalise about an entire community, a comparison critics described as misleading and factually incorrect. Singh went on to accuse Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) of supporting institutions under investigation, after Al-Falah University received a sports tournament invitation. No official agency, however, has linked AMU to extremist activity.
The comments drew quiet but notable concern among academics, who emphasised that AMU has produced judges, scientists, civil servants, and scholars over more than a century. Minority leaders pointed out that sweeping accusations against educational institutions risk alienating students and citizens who contribute significantly to India’s academic and professional landscape.
Singh further claimed that “minority educational institutions are unnecessary,” asserting they commit excesses under special status. Civil society groups countered that such institutions operate under constitutional protections designed to preserve cultural and linguistic diversity.
He also targeted former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, demanding capital punishment for alleged support to terrorism. Legal experts noted that such conclusions are the domain of courts, not politicians.
Singh criticised New York’s newly elected mayor as well, accusing him of promoting religious conversion—again without citing any evidence.
This is not the first time the minister has made provocative remarks. He previously stated that madrasas are “training centres for terrorists” and vowed to shut them down “if given a chance.” He also demanded a nationwide burqa ban, claiming it aids infiltrators an argument disputed by security analysts, who say that attire-based profiling has no proven counterterrorism value.
A two-time minister and former BJP district president, Singh comes from a political family in Gabhana. His repeated remarks continue to spark debate about rhetoric targeting minorities at a time when community relations require careful, evidence-based dialogue.
