Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 22, 2025

Indian state run by Hindu nationalists abolishes Islamic schools

Indian state run by Hindu nationalists abolishes Islamic schools

The Indian state of Assam, run by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist party, has banned Islamic schools, saying public money cannot be squandered on religious teachings. Outraged Islamic scholars and political opponents have called it an attack on Muslims.

The government in Assam state, led by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), argued the new law was a result of a popular demand for “general education” in Islamic schools, known locally as madrassas.

“We need more doctors, police officers, bureaucrats and teachers, from the minority Muslim community rather than imams for mosques,” Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said after the state legislature this week passed a bill into law to convert madrassas into regular schools beginning April.

He rejected accusations that it was a move targeting Muslims, India’s largest religious minority.


Sarma is seen as a rising political star in Assam, which has 731 government-run Islamic schools where religious scriptures are taught beside regular subjects.

"If only Arabic was taught, there would be no issue. But, as a government, we cannot allow teaching of the Koran on public funding." Sarma added, drawing applause from prominent backers of the BJP.


Arabic colleges will be also converted into high schools from April, according to provisions of the new law which will come into effect in April in Assam, the oil and tea-rich state bordering Bangladesh.

Sarma said only those privately-funded madrassas which also teach regular subjects besides religious scriptures can be registered once a separate new law is passed in Assam, home to some 13 million Muslims.

“We are in the process of drafting a bill,” the BJP official told journalists as Madrassa teachers warned they would challenge the step in courts of law.

Islamic teachers rise in protest


“We have opposed the bill and we will submit a memorandum to the state governor, the prime minister and the president of India on January 5,” said Amirul Islam, who heads the Assam Madrassa Teachers' Association.

“If need be, we will go to the Supreme Court as well,” Islam said, arguing Islamic schools were introduced as far back as 1915 in Assam, when India was under British rule.

“If madrasas don’t exist, what value will the certificates hold for those who have studied there?” the association president asked.

The body estimates 140,000 students were still enrolled in the now disbanded madrasas in Assam, which last year saw widespread protests against a federal citizenship law that Muslims fear.

Law upset opponents


“The idea is to wipe out Muslims,” opposition Congress party state lawmaker Wajed Ali Choudhury said of the decisions to abolish the Islamic schools.

Choudhury’s party colleague Sherman Ali Ahmed argued fluency in Arabic language can help locals find jobs in countries in the Middle East where millions of Indians are already employed.

“It will change the atmosphere of Assam. This bill is aimed at polarisation of votes along religious lines,” Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, another Congress lawmaker was quoted as saying.

Love Jihad law


Two BJP-run states have enacted laws that prohibit forceful conversion of woman to their husband’s religion. A third BJP state is also set to enact a similar “love Jihad” law.


Rights activists allege the law is draconian and a naked attempt to crack down on mixed marriages in general and a move to frighten away Muslims seeking Hindu brides in particular.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
×