Muslim clerics hail Supreme Court order on UP Madarsa Act

Lucknow: Muslim clerics on Tuesday hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the constitutional validity of the UP Board of Madarsa Education Act with some changes and said that the decision of the apex court had done justice with lakhs of students and teachers associated with the madrasas (Islamic Seminaries) in the state.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the order of the Allahabad high Court of March this year by which it had held the Act as "unconstitutional" and "violative" of the principles of secularism.

The apex court, however, ruled that the madrasas cannot confer degrees like ‘Fazil’ and ‘Kamil’ as it was in violation of the UGC Act.

All India Muslim Jamat national president Maulana Mufti Shahbuddin Rajvi Barelvi said that the very existence of the madrasas was threatened after the HC decision. ‘’It is a historic decision...it has done justice to the lakhs of students and teachers associated with madrasa education in the state,’’ he said.

‘’We welcome this judgement....we expected justice from the SC and we have got it,’’ the Maualana added.

Jamat Raza-e-Mustafa national vice-president Salman Hasan Khan also hailed the verdict and said that it had underscored the significance of madrasa education.

Senior Muslim cleric and member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board also welcomed the judgement saying that the verdict had ensured that the madrasas would continue to impart education freely in the state.

All India Shia Personal Law Board spokesman Maulana Yasoob Abbas said that the madrasas had been doing a great service in the field of education.

‘’Many top bureaucrats in the country are the products of the madrasas and it is improper to look at them with suspicion,’’ Abbas said.

BSP supremo Mayawati too hailed the SC order and said that the decision had put an end to the controversy and uncertainty arising out of the Allahabad High Court verdict.

An estimated 17 lakh students study at 16,000 madrasas in the state.