It is into this backdrop that the government of Madhya Pradesh issued a new directive, saying, "Madrasas and schools registered under the Madrasa boards cannot force children to study 'religious education' if they receive state fund."
A notification issued by the state Education Department said, "No child admitted in the Madrasas or those studying under the Madrasa board can be forced to participate in religious studies or activities without the consent of his or her parents.".
In this respect, the state government has also decided to initiate a survey of non-Muslim children studying in schools under the Madrasa Board. This comes after recommendations from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which earlier claimed that non-Muslim children were being admitted to madrasas to secure state grants.
The NCPCR alleged that non-Muslim children were being enrolled in the rolls of Madrasas in order to artificially inflate the strength of the students so more grants could be procured from the state. NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanoongo reiterated that non-Muslim children in Madhya Pradesh were compelled to take part in religious studies and activities within these institutions.
The state has warned that if non-Muslim children are found enrolled in Madrasas, grants provided to such institutions would be revoked and their registration cancelled.
This direction has come after a series of reports from MP where lists of non-Muslim children in some Madrasas came out to light, triggering controversy. The NCPCR had prepared a report in June 2023 in which it was claimed that more than 9,000 Hindu children are enrolled in various Islamic seminaries of the state; on whose basis, Commission had demanded a survey by the state government.
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