Muslim educators and rights activists raise concerns amid claims of encroachment on government land and a lack of recognition
SHRAVASTI – The Uttar Pradesh administration has sealed 57 madrasas in Shravasti district as part of an ongoing campaign against what it claims are “illegal and unrecognised” religious schools. This action, carried out by a joint team of officials, has stirred unease in the Muslim community and raised serious concerns among human rights defenders and educationists.
In the Ikouna and Jamunaha areas of Shravasti, 13 madrasas were locked by the authorities in the latest round of action. Officials allege that many of these institutions were constructed on government land.
One of the sealed institutions is Jamia Nooria Fatima Lilbanat, a girls’ madrasa operating since 2019. At the time of the raid, the premises were empty, but it previously housed around 300 girl students. The management had reportedly sent the girls home after receiving a notice.
Syed Sirajuddin Hashmi, the madrasa operator and a resident of Gujarat, told reporters, “We were informed to vacate by 10 May. This madrasa was serving hundreds of underprivileged girls with food, shelter, and Islamic education. Is this what education means in today’s India?”
A joint administrative team consisting of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Naib Tehsildar, and Block Education Officer carried out the closures.
According to a local teacher, Mohammad Saeed, “The children here were studying peacefully. If there were any issues, couldn’t the administration have regularised them instead of sealing them outright?”
The action has not been limited to Shravasti alone. In neighbouring Maharajganj district, particularly in the Nautanwa tehsil along the Nepal border, six unrecognised madrasas have been inspected and served notices. District Minority Welfare Officer Neeraj Agarwal has asked these madrasas to explain within three days how they are being run and who funds them.
The madrasas issued notices in Maharajganj include:
• Madrasa Gausia Rizavia Ahle Sunnat Ziaul Uloom, Padauli
• Madrasa Islahul Muslimeen, Jhingathi
• Madrasa Arabia Nurul Uloom, Arazi Mahua
• Arabia Mohammad Misbahul Uloom, Parsa
• Maktab Talimi Quran, Bagha
• Madrasa Yaar Alvia Ahle Sunnat Faizul Uloom
Neeraj Agarwal stated, “We are acting based on clear instructions to inspect madrasas operating without proper documents. They must submit all details, including land records and financial sources.”
However, the Muslim community in these areas views the sudden crackdown as targeted and unfair.
Maulana Rashid Qasmi, an Islamic scholar from Lucknow, said, “If the government is truly concerned about transparency in education, why are only Muslim institutions being targeted? This seems less about regulation and more about harassment.”
The reports have drawn attention from minority rights organisations. A representative of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board said, “Hundreds of poor children, especially girls, depended on these madrasas. If there were irregularities, they could’ve been corrected through dialogue, not closing them down.”
Civil rights activist Shahid Anwar echoed this concern. “This is a deeply worrying trend. Madrasas have historically played a role in education, especially in rural and backward regions. Sealing them without offering alternatives amounts to attacking the community’s right to education.”
While the government has so far remained firm on its stance, critics argue that the campaign appears one-sided and politically motivated.
Parents whose children were studying in the sealed madrasas now face uncertainty. Rubina Begum, whose daughter studied at Jamia Nooria Fatima, said, “We are poor people. We cannot afford private schools. What should we do now?”
This fresh wave of action comes months after similar moves in other districts like Azamgarh and Bijnor, where dozens of madrasas were inspected or served notices.
There has been no official word yet on what will happen to the students of the sealed madrasas or whether any effort will be made to rehabilitate them in other schools.
The situation remains tense in the affected districts, and many fear that the campaign might widen further in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Muslim scholars and rights groups have called for an immediate review of the state’s policy toward madrasas and have urged the courts to intervene to stop what they call a “selective targeting” of Muslim institutions.
