West Bengal government orders closure of 252 madrassas, sends show-cause notice to 100

The West Bengal government has ordered the closure of 252 madrassas and sent show-cause notices to around 100 others after a state-wide survey that found that several such institutions lacked requisite approvals and basic infrastructure, officials said on Sunday.

Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department Minister Kshudiram Tudu said madrassas that have requisite approvals will continue to function.

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The field-level survey was carried out by the department across all districts of West Bengal since early June to assess the infrastructure, approval status and management systems of government and private madrassas.

Officials said the seminaries have been served a show-cause notice. Further action will be taken after examining their responses, they said.

The exercise was initiated following directions from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to ascertain the number of authorised and unauthorised madrassas in different districts, Tudu said.

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"As many as 252 madrassas have been ordered to close while 100 others have been sent show-cause notices for lacking requisite approvals and basic infrastructure," the minister added.

State Panchayati Raj Minister Dilip Ghosh said there had been several controversies surrounding madrassas and claimed that in several cases people arrested for their alleged involvement in extremist activities were found to have been working as teachers in some such institutions.

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"Complaints against madrassas had repeatedly been received. There have been instances of people carrying out anti-national activities from seminaries," he said. "Madrassas being run in accordance with the law and with government permission will continue to function. But the government will not allow madrassas to be opened indiscriminately and cause trouble."

The opposition Trinamool Congress's MLA Kunal Ghosh said all madrassas should not be painted with the same brush.