Opposition parties and Muslim leaders accused Maurya of making divisive remarks ahead of the assembly elections in the state to polarise voters and reap electoral benefits
LUCKNOW — Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has drawn widespread criticism for claiming that madrasas “produce terrorists.”
Maurya alleged that madrasas, whether in India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, have become breeding grounds for terrorism.
He made the provocative remarks on Monday while reacting to Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin’s call for abolishing madrasas in Bangladesh.
Opposition parties and Muslim religious leaders accused Maurya of making divisive and inflammatory statements ahead of the assembly elections in the state to polarise voters and reap electoral benefits.
Maurya’s remarks come amid reports that the Uttar Pradesh government is considering changes to the state’s madrasa education system, adding further political significance to his statement.
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The President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, sharply reacted to Maurya’s statement and expressed astonishment that such an irresponsible and provocative statement from a person holding a constitutional position is not only an insult to the dignity of that position, but also a grave affront to India’s rich scholarly and religious heritage and history.
He further said that it is equally an affront to the Constitution of India, which guarantees equal rights to all citizens.
“It was the scholars who graduated from these very madrasas, now being branded as hubs of terrorism, who were among the first to raise the banner of India’s freedom struggle and sacrifice their lives for the nation,” Maulana Madani said in a statement.
“They embraced the gallows with courage, endured exile, suffered long years of imprisonment, and withstood the oppression and brutality of British rule. Yet they refused to bow before the British, because the freedom of their homeland was dearer to them than their own lives,” he added.
Maurya’s remarks have also drawn severe criticism on social media, with people accusing him of painting all madrasas with a broad brush and reinforcing negative stereotypes about the Muslim community.
One user wrote, “Deputy CM Keshav Maurya has proven that the BJP’s politics is solely aimed at targeting Muslims. Linking educational institutions to terrorism is foolishness. Stop the politics of hate.”
Another user questioned the focus of the discussion, writing, “He could have spoken about real issues like unemployment and education. Instead, he chose to raise the same divisive topics yet again. It almost feels as though the questions are scripted in advance to divert attention from the issues that truly matter.”
Opposition leaders condemned Maurya’s comments, accusing the BJP of attempting to polarise voters before the assembly polls due next year.
They argued that such statements risk deepening communal divisions and unfairly stigmatise religious educational institutions attended by thousands of students.
Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan criticised Maurya for “simply making nonsense comments without facts.” She said India has laws and systems in place, and governments at the Centre and state levels can act against any anti-national activity if evidence exists. Hasan accused the BJP of hurting the sentiments of a particular community and spreading “hate politics” through such statements, describing it as an attempt at character assassination of the Muslim community. She urged the government to desist.
Congress MP Imran Masood slammed Maurya, pointing out that Islamic scholars have sacrificed their lives for the independence of the country.
“In the War of Independence, madrasas made significant contributions, while people of your ideology were serving the British. Don’t try to teach us history. Around 56,000 ulema embraced the gallows. Show me even one person from your side who sacrificed for the country or whose name is in the list of martyrs,” said Masood.
Bareilly-based cleric Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi said the Deputy Chief Minister’s statement ignored the historical role played by madrasas during India’s freedom movement.
“Taslima Nasrin and Keshav Prasad Maurya should read the history of India. Around 55,000 ulema from madrasas sacrificed their lives during the freedom struggle. Madrasas gave rise to the slogan of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’. From Rohilkhand to Delhi, the ulema laid down their lives. The government should honour madrasas,” he told the media.
He added that many Islamic scholars from institutions across northern India had participated in the anti-colonial struggle and argued that madrasas deserved respect for their contribution to the nation.
The issue is also expected to reverberate in the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, where opposition parties are likely to demand an explanation from the government.
The BJP has not issued any clarification on the Deputy Chief Minister’s statement.
