UP: Unauthorised Muzaffarnagar madrasas told to shut or pay Rs 10,000 fine per day

The Basic Education Department of Uttar Pradesh has issued a notice stating that unregistered madrasas operating in Muzaffarnagar will be subject to a daily penalty of Rs 10,000 if not shut immediately.

An officer at the Basic Education Department notified more than a dozen unregistered madrasas, compelling them to furnish the required documentation, PTI reported.

Also Read: UP education department announces daily Rs 10,000 fine for unregistered madrasas in Muzaffarnagar

The madrasas, which have been served notices, have been instructed to present the necessary documents within three days of receiving the order, failing which they will be subject to disciplinary measures in accordance with established regulations.

The notice states, “If the madrasas are found operating without recognition, they will be fined Rs 10,000 per day.”

Shubham Shukla, the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) of Muzaffarnagar, was informed by the District Minority Department that over a hundred madrasas in the district lack the essential registration or recognition, thereby functioning in violation of the norms.

Also Read: UP’s unregistered madrasas have to pay Rs 10,000 fine per day, says education dept

Expressing strong dislike, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, an organisation representing Indian Muslims, called the Education Department’s directive “unlawful.”

Maulana Zakir Husain, the secretary of the Uttar Pradesh branch of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, asserted that these actions were equivalent to “harassment, targeting a specific community,” and pointed out that madrasas offer free education to students, making the Rs 10,000 daily penalty a burden.

Meanwhile, sources in Lucknow reported that approximately 4,000 madrasas across the state are currently under scrutiny for their receipt of foreign funds, PTI reported.

Also Read: UP Madrasa Education Board to resume recognition of unregistered Islamic seminaries

The state government has established a specialised three-member investigative team (SIT) tasked with scrutinizing these 4,000 madrasas, some of which are situated near the Indo-Nepal border and allegedly receiving foreign financial support.

The SIT will conduct a thorough examination to make sure whether these funds have been employed in any illicit activities, including potential links to terrorism or forced religious conversions.

(With inputs from PTI)