The West Bengal government has issued an order to close 252 madrasas in the state. Additionally, about 100 other madrasas have received a notification requiring them to provide explanations. Officials stated that these measures were taken after conducting a comprehensive inspection across the state.
During this inspection, the absence of necessary permits and basic amenities was found in many madrasas. The Minister of the Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education, Kushidurram Tudu, clarified that madrasas possessing the required permits will continue their operations. The decision for these actions was based on the deficiencies discovered during the inspection.
The department began the inspection in all districts of the state at the beginning of June. As part of this process, the situation in both government and private madrasas was examined. Staff assessed the infrastructure of the madrasas and also checked their management system and the presence of relevant permits.
The minister noted that the goal of the inspection was to determine the number of authorized and unauthorized madrasas in the state. This initiative was launched under the directive of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Officials stated that 100 madrasas received notifications requesting a response regarding their status. A decision on further steps will be made after studying these responses. The minister emphasized that the 252 madrasas were ordered to close due to the lack of necessary permits and insufficient basic conditions. He also added that madrasas operating in accordance with the law will not be closed.
The Minister for Local Self-Government, Dileep Ghosh, stated that he had received numerous complaints concerning madrasas. He reported that in some cases, individuals arrested for involvement in radical activities were found working as teachers in these institutions. Dileep Ghosh also mentioned complaints about anti-government activities taking place in some madrasas, noting that the government would take action against such institutions. Nevertheless, madrasas with state licenses and operating according to the law will continue to function.
In response to the government's actions, Kunal Ghosh, a representative of the opposition party Trinamool Congress and a legislator, expressed disagreement. He argued that not all madrasas can be treated equally. Kunal Ghosh stated that all madrasas cannot be accused based on complaints received about one specific institution. The state government insists that the measures are being taken exclusively against those institutions where deficiencies in documentation or infrastructure were found.