40% Madrasas in Shravasti Shut: Sealed Despite Papers, Razed Without Notice?

Many claimed that despite showing documents for registration, their madrasas were sealed or bulldozed.

Action is being taken against madrassas on a large scale in the districts bordering Nepal. The maximum impact was seen in Shravasti.

(Source: The Quint)

"60-70 children used to study in our madrasa. One day, the Patwari sahab came. There were about 10-15 police officers with him. He sealed the madrasa. We showed the permanent recognition and registration papers, but the Patwari sahab said we received orders from the above. We have to seal it."

"No notice was given for demolition. On the day of the action, they first pasted a notice on the wall, took photos and then demolished the madrasa with a bulldozer. We were not even allowed to go near it."

Like Jafar Khan and Mohammad Shafiq, the managers and teachers of many madrasas in Shravasti are left in a limbo, as 40 per cent of the madrasas were sealed or demolished with bulldozers. According to the administration, action was taken against those madrasas built on government land or that did not have recognition. However, a closer look at the claims and counterclaims paints a different picture.

Many claimed that despite showing documents for permanent registration, their madrasas were sealed. Some said the notice was pasted on the day of the action, and then the madrasa was demolished with a bulldozer. Here's what we know so far:

297 Madrasas In Shravasti, Almost Half Sealed Or Demolished

According to the Minority Department, there are 297 madrasas in Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh, of which 192 are unrecognised while 105 are with permanent and temporary recognition. The administration reportedly started the action in May. In about 17 days, 20 madrasas were demolished, and 110 madrasas were sealed.

Shravasti DM Ajay Kumar Dwivedi told The Quint,

"Madrasas get two types of recognition. Permanent and temporary. Approval must be obtained for temporary recognition by fulfilling all the requirements within 5 years. Demolition was done only of those madrasas which were built on government land. Apart from this, temporary and unrecognised madrasas are being sealed."

Shravasti DM Ajay Kumar Dwivedi

"Permanent Recognition Of Madrasa, Showed The Papers Too, Still Sealed"

Mohammad Naeem, principal of Razia Gausul Uloom Madrasa located in Jamanha told The Quint: "The recognition of our madrasa was temporary earlier, but was made permanent in 2012. Registration is also open till the year 2027. The madrasa is not on government land. Still, our madrasa was sealed."

Naeem said that on 1 May, a notice came from the District Minority Welfare Officer, in which it was written

"The madrasa is being run after obtaining temporary recognition. It is necessary to get it renewed after 5 years. But even after 5 years, the recognition was not renewed. Therefore, the educational activities of the madrasa are banned."

A few days after receiving the notice, the Lekhpal and Kanungo came with the police officers and sealed the madrasa. Mohammad Naeem said:

"Before taking action, we showed all the papers to the Lekhpal. He said the papers are correct, but there is an order from above. Then we immediately spoke to the SDM sahab on the phone. We told him our papers are correct and the madrasa should not be sealed. Then, the SDM sahab asked us to come the next day and show the papers. We met SDM the next day. He said the papers are correct, but it is delayed."

Mohammad Naeem, Principal, Razia Gausul Uloom Madrasa

Mohammad Naeem said, "When we went to the Minority Department of the district, they wrote a letter to the Registrar in Lucknow. Now, maybe we will have to go through a long process. Till then, the madrasa remains closed. The children are suffering a lot."

Razia Gausul Uloom Madrasa of Shravasti sealed. Manager Jafar Khan claimed permanent recognition by showing these papers.

(Source: The Quint)

"There Were 10-15 Policemen; We Were Scared Even To Take Pictures."

Jafar Khan, manager of Razia Gausul Uloom Madrasa in Jamanha, said, "There were 10-15 policemen during the operation. They were not saying anything, but we could not even take a photo of the madrasa getting sealed due to fear. Around 70 children study in our madrasa. Even after having all the papers, we have to bear all this. Now tell me what is our fault in this?"

Another madrasa in Shravasti, Ahlesunnat Rajaul Uloom, was also sealed. Its manager, Abdul Haq, claims that he also has all the papers for permanent recognition and renewal of registration.

"You don't show us the papers. When we said, 'Please see if there is any mistake in this?' They said everything is correct with you, but we have an order to seal it."

Abdul Haq, Manager, Ahle Sunnat Rajaul Uloom Madrasa

The Quint spoke to the madrasa teacher Ramzan Ali. He said that he was present when the madrasa was being sealed, "On 5 May, Lekhpal Anil Arya and Kanungo came. When we showed them the papers, they said there is an order to seal it, and we will seal it."

Ahle Sunnat Madrasa of Shravasti sealed. Manager Abdul Haq claimed this to be a permanent recognition.

(Source: The Quint)

'Only The Name Of The Madrasa Was Changed in Notices'

Abdul Haq, the manager of Ahlesunnat Rajaul Uloom Madrasa, also received a notice just like Jafar Khan. Everything was written exactly the same, only the name of the madrasa was changed. There was no apparent reason for the action in any of the notices. Abdul Haq, the manager of the madrasa, told The Quint

"We have permanent recognition. We have all the papers as well. Still, we don't know why it was sealed. The notice does not inform what inadequacy led to this."

Almost all the madrasas in Shravasti were given the same notice. Only the names of the madrasas have been changed.

(Source: The Quint)

The Quint spoke to Shravasti DM Ajay Kumar Dwivedi regarding the sealing action despite having permanent recognition. He said,

"Sealing is not a suspension. Only the operation has been closed. If someone has complete documents, he can come to the District Minority Officer or me; he will be referred and checked."

Ajay Kumar Dwivedi, DM, Shravasti

The Minority Officer Himself Admitted That The Notice Is Revocable

Madrasa manager Abdul Haq said, "After receiving the notice, we went to the District Minority Welfare Officer of Shravasti. We showed him all the papers related to permanent recognition, registration renewal, and land and requested him to remove the seal. Then on 15 May, he wrote a letter to the Registrar of Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Council and said that the notice issued on 1 May is revocable."

The Quint has a copy of the letter written by the District Minority Welfare Officer of Shravasti to the Registrar of Lucknow. It says,

The madrasa manager has informed that his madrasa has permanent recognition. In such a situation, the notice regarding stopping the educational activities as a temporarily recognised madrasa is revocable.

It is clear from the letter that the Minority Welfare Officer believes that the madrasa is permanent. But till 23 May, i.e. till the time of writing this story, no action was taken to reopen the madrasa.

The District Minority Welfare Officer wrote this letter to the Registrar.

(Source: The Quint)

The above two madrasas were sealed by serving notices even after claiming permanent recognition. Let us tell you about some cases where notices were pasted on the day of action, and then the madrasas were demolished using bulldozers.

The date of 17 April is written at the bottom of the notice. But Mohammad Shafiq, who claims to have been present on the spot on the day of the action, says that this notice was pasted on the wall on the same day. He had not received this notice before that.

(Source: The Quint)

'If You Had Given Us Notice Earlier...'

Qurban Ali, manager of Rizvia Gausia Gausul Uloom Khalifatpur, said that about 150 children used to study in the madrasa. There were modern teachers as well. There were two rooms. There was a packed hall and a big gate. The notice was received at the time it was demolished.

"If we had received the notice earlier, we would have demolished it ourselves. We would have saved the bricks, windows, bathroom sheets and removed them. The bulldozer broke everything. Everything was ruined. Everything was built with donations. At least this much time should have been given. They did not even allow us to take a video or a photo during the demolition of the madrasa. They said they would beat us so much that we would turn red."

Before and after action photos of Rizvia Gausia Gausul Uloom Madrasa.

(Source: The Quint)

Some Questions About The Verbal Order Of Action And Recognition

Regarding action against madrasas in Shravasti, the District Minority Welfare Officer wrote a letter to the Registrar of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Council, in which it is written that "verbal instructions were received from the Shravasti district administration level". When The Client spoke to District Minority Welfare Officer Devendra Ram, he said the officer would only give verbal orders. On what options the madrasa managers have now, Devendra Ram said,

"Those who have permanent recognition did not give us any documents. Now they are bringing their papers and giving them, based on which they send letters to the registrar. We will act on the guidelines given from there. If the order comes, the sealed madrasas will be opened. Letters have also been sent for madrasas with temporary recognition."

Letter written by District Minority Welfare Officer to the Registrar

(Source: The Quint)

Why Did Madrasas Not Make Their Temporary Recognition Permanent?

The Quint spoke to Samiullah Khan (Shuaib), the state president of Madrasa Modernisation Teachers Association, Uttar Pradesh, regarding this question. He said a new set of rules was made for madrasas in 2016. Earlier, the 2003 set of rules was in effect, according to which madrasas with temporary recognition could also be run efficiently. There was a change in 2016, and madrasas with temporary recognition would be made permanent within 5 years.

"The irony is that since 2015, the government has not given any recognition. Many people gave their papers to the District Minority Welfare Officer for conversion from temporary to permanent. He checked it and sent it to the Registrar. But to date, their papers are lying in Lucknow."

He adds, "Yes, it is also true that about 80% of madrasa managers did not even apply for permanent recognition because they did not know. It was going on like this; there was no problem. Surely others would have applied for permanent recognition if they had given some time after the notice. But here, they suddenly gave a notice and then, without hearing, they started locking one side."

Regarding granting recognition, the District Minority Welfare Officer told The Quint, "Recognition has been stopped since 2016. Recognition will be given when the portal for recognition opens."

Samiullah Khan's (Shuaib) logic can be understood through Ibrahim, the manager of Madarsa Baitul Uloom. He said, "Our madrasa has temporary recognition. We submitted all the papers for permanent recognition in 2017. If the temporary recognition is illegal, it should have been cancelled. But that did not happen. Till the year 2023, we kept getting Rs 3000."

RP Singh, Registrar of the Arabic Persian Board, Uttar Pradesh, said, "Whenever we receive any report regarding madrassas, action will be taken as per the rules. Action would have been taken on some basis."

In response to the options available to madrassas with temporary recognition, he said, "Right now we are changing all the rules. After the final changes and rules are made, further work will be done. The rules were changed after 2016. Even after 2016, recognitions have been given (no answer was received on how many recognitions were given). But now, all the rules are being reviewed. When it is finalised, we will work on that basis. Proposals have come from time to time. They have been placed before the council. But recognition must not have been given due to some deficiency."