Lucknow: Examining Uttar Pradesh’s educational establishments, particularly madrasas, has revealed a significant inflow of foreign funding totaling an astounding Rs 150 crore. There’s been a plea to stop the probe, which begs the concerns regarding the source and character of this funding. By seeking the aid of central intelligence services to investigate the source of money for the madrasas in Uttar Pradesh, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has taken the subject to a higher level.
The maze of questions includes finding out how, where, and what financial channels this large amount of money was sent via. The investigation, which covers 108 madrasas in the state, reveals that 80 of them were able to obtain a significant amount of the Rs 150 crore fund in just two years. Regions like Bahraich, Siddharth Nagar, Shravasti, and a few districts like Saharanpur, Deoband, Azamgarh, Moradabad, Rampur, and Aligarh are among those to which foreign donations are made. To help it understand the complexities of this financial riddle, the SIT has asked intelligence services for assistance.
In addition to the financial inflow, the study seeks to determine how money moves throughout the madrasas. Requests for detailed spending information, invoices, and detailed shopping bills will be closely examined. Furthermore, the inquiry will look into the relationship between the overall enrollment of students in madrasas and the money that goes along with it. The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has been dispatched to provide detailed information regarding the funding environment.
Notably, this research project goes beyond the typical scope. The Uttar Pradesh government established a Special Investigation Team in October of last year to look into foreign funding of madrasas. The team included representatives from the Minority Welfare Department and the Additional Director General of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). Previous inquiries were limited to madrasas that were not yet recognized; however, the government has expanded the probe to encompass established establishments. Starting with the inquiry of 560 government-aided madrasas, the Madrasa Education Council has set its eyes on examining 4,394 recognized madrasas. The Minority Department appointed a group to lead this comprehensive investigation.
The inquiry covers a wide range of topics, from madrasa recognition status to information contained in recognition certificates. Strict scrutiny is applied to parameters such approved positions, the educational backgrounds of teaching and non-teaching staff, class numbers, compliance with the NCERT syllabus, and standard measurement observance. Divisional Deputy Directors and District Minority Welfare Officers have been charged with the duty of delivering their investigative reports to the Board Registrar by December 30.
Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, the Chairman of the UP Madrasa Education Board, has strongly demanded that the investigation into recognized and assisted madrasas be put on hold in response to this extensive probe. Javed argues in a letter to Minority Welfare Minister Dharampal that the ongoing inquiries and surveys interfere with the madrasas’ regular operating schedule. He emphasizes the detrimental effects on instruction and other critical functions in these schools, claiming that the probe has turned into an unwanted ritual that could delay unfinished business.
