Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India can create history if the 1,000-year-old institution of “Islamic Madrasas” is scrapped. One Country, One Curriculum is the recipe of communal harmony and peace in India. Before the Uniform Civil Code, India needs a Uniform Education Code. One secular curriculum for all.
When there be 3,60,000 young minds stuck in the curriculum developed in the 1700s in 3,000 madrassas in the Indian capital alone, you can’t dream to take the nation ahead with millions enrolled in the 600,000 madrasa countrywide with additionally 40-50 lakh mosques with attached makatab or madrasa.
What is taught in Madrasas?
A madrasa is an exclusivist religious school, where MUSLIM children are taught Quran, the Sharia, Hadith, Islamic history of invasions (Jihad). The institution of Islamic madrasas in India is as old as the history of Islam in India, say 1000 years. The syllabus teaches the students to hate all non-Muslims, especially the Hindus who being idolaters are dubbed as hateful human beings, called ‘kaffirs’.
Ghazwa-i-Hind (the goal of establishment of Islamic rule across India through Jihad) is also taught in almost every madrasa, both in India and Pakistan. Madrasas produce indoctrinated minds, full of hate, fear and false pride. This derelict institution can’t be reformed. Outright scrappage is the solution. Helping them, is writing your own obituary.
The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government initiated an ill-thought plan. A “Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas” (SPQEM) in 2009-10 to encourage madrasas and Maktabs to introduce formal subjects i.e. Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Hindi and English. The scheme is STILL ongoing in 18 states in the country. So far under SPQEM, over 21,000 madrasas spread over different states have been given Rs. 1,138 crore.
Only in the Uttar Pradesh there are 18,27,566 children in 8,584 madrasas, as per government of India figures. That is mindless stupidity. Core Islamic scripture as taught can’t be made secular and humanistic. This scheme initiated by Congress is a sheer loss of time and exchequer and it must be scrapped forthwith.
Why Madrasas can’t be reformed?
Islamic teaching and modern education can’t coexist. Would the students of madrasa trust science which says earth is spherical and revolves around the Sun or, will they believe in the Quran which says, earth is flat and the Sun sets in murky water of a lake? How can you teach them harmony and love when they learn from Quran that all IDOLATORS are consigned to eternal hell-fire?
What the Modi government must do immediately?
1. All madrasas must be nationalised, registered and the state should have the writ to appoint teachers, administrators and curriculum over there. Their financials and source of income need to be scrutinised. All the madrasa be converted into modern schools open to all the communities. Community exclusive, organised and institutionalised religious education must be scrapped for any religion. ALL children must be taught uniform curriculum.
2. All the mosques must be monitored through CCTV recording to check what it being taught and fed. It is not a coincidence that every riot in Indian cities starts on Friday after Juma prayers. If China and Egypt can control mosques, why can’t India, the counry with second largest Muslim population? If you don’t control the mullah, mosque and madrassa, peace and communal harmony in India will remain a pipe dream.