In the state of Uttar Pradesh, minority appeasement reached new heights during the reign of BSP and SP, more so in the case of the latter. While the parties did nothing in particular to uplift the minorities, the so-called leaders of the minority community were the biggest benefactors. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) which was tasked to investigate fake madrasas has concluded its investigation and has unearthed a massive scam as the agency found around 400 fake madrasas running in UP’s Azamgarh and Mirzapur while taking government aid.
During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that 250 madrasas of Azamgarh and 143 in Mirzapur turned out to be fake as the SIT conducted physical verification.
Additionally, many madrasas were recognised in the year 2009-10 without an iota of physical verification. The agency also suspects a scam of crores of rupees to have taken place during that time.
The SIT, in its investigation, found the role of several officers and employees of the Minority Department to be suspicious. After completing the investigation in this case, the SIT has sent a report to the government. Additionally, permission has also been sought to register an FIR in this case.
Recently, in order to bring transparency in madrasas, the information about UP madrasas was uploaded on the Human Property Portal. The Yogi Adityanath government also stated that it will catch those madrasa teachers, who were working in multiple madrasas simultaneously.
Recently, after the Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh government demolished an over 100-year-old Barabanki mosque under an anti-encroachment drive, the Sunni Waqf Board had been left furious as it labelled the move as “misuse of power”.
Alleging that the demolition took place without any prior intimation to them, the Barabanki mosque’s guardian and UP Sunni Central Waqf Board in its official statement said, “I strongly condemn the patently illegal and high-handed action of the Tehsil and district administration Ramsnehi Ghat particularly that of the sub-divisional magistrate for demolition of 100 years old mosque situated near the Tehsil compound, in the name of alleged removal of encroachment.”
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The statement issued by Zufar Farooqui, chairman of Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, added, “This act is against law, misuse of power and in utter violation of the clear orders of high court passed on April 24, 2021. The board will immediately approach the high court demanding restoration of mosque, high level judicial enquiry and action against guilty officers.”
Defending the demolition, the district administration said, “In the Tehsil residential complex of Ramsnehi Ghat in front of the SDM’s residence, regarding a residential illegal structure, (a) chance was given to opposite party to present their version through a notice issued on March 15. After the notice was sent, the people living in the illegal structure fled… On March 18, the Tehsil administrative team took the questionable construction under its possession for the purpose of safety.”
It further added, “The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, during (the) hearing of writ petition (filed by the mosque), had established that the residential construction is illegal. On the basis of this, a case was lodged at SDM, Ramsnehi Ghat court… Following legal proceedings, (the) orders followed on May 17, 2021.”
The UP government must allow the SIT to file an FIR in the fake madrasas case in order to ensure that the culprits do not escape scot free.