5 madrassas sealed in U'khand ‘despite being granted recognition'

Time of India

08-05-2025

Kautilya SinghDehradun: Five madrassas, including three in Dehradun, have claimed they were sealed by local authorities in Uttarakhand despite having been granted official recognition by the state madrassa board.
Seminary managers blamed it on "delay in delivery of letters". This comes even as an intense drive against "illegal" madrassas is currently on in the state.Madrassa
Darul ul Quran Shakuriya
in Kedarwala area of Vikasnagar, Dehradun, was granted recognition on Feb 27. The certificate was delivered on March 15, and the institution was sealed on March 11. A similar situation occurred at Madrassa Qasmiya Darululoom Ansiya in Vikasnagar and Darul Uloom Mohammadiya in Kargi, Doon.
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Both were sealed on March 11, while the recognition certificates arrived on March 15.Qari Mohammad Sajid, manager of Darul ul Quran Shakuriya, said, "We repeatedly told the authorities that the maanyata (recognition) has been given by the board and we were waiting for the letter.
But despite our requests, the madrassa was sealed. After getting the letter, we have contacted the district authorities..." He added that around 30 students, who went to regular school, used to attend religious studies at the madrassa for an hour.Manager of Qasmiya Darululoom Ansiya, Mohammad Ansiya, said, "We had initially applied in 2020 but due to Covid, the matter got delayed. In 2023, we were told that there were some shortcomings in the documents. Subsequently, all formalities were completed and the application was submitted on Feb 2, 2024."Meanwhile, chairman of the madrassa board, Mufti Shamoon Qasmi told TOI: "Five such cases – three in Doon and one each in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar – have come to our knowledge, and for the time being, we've suspended the sealing work. A probe is on. When they provide the documents, the madrassas would be allowed to operate."He claimed the verification of the applications is done by the minorities welfare department and the permission is granted by the board. "The other applications had certain shortcomings and the applicants were asked to resubmit them later," Qasmi added. He pointed out that two kinds of recognition – temporary and permanent – are given to the madrassas. "They need to get the renewal done after every five years," he said.It was also claimed by madrassa operatives that after chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced action against illegal madrassas last year, the Madrassa Recognition Panel held a meeting on Feb 27 — the first such event after a gap of at least five years. The panel "hurriedly reviewed" 147 applications — 88 for new recognition and 59 for renewal, it was alleged. Of these, 49 new applications and 50 renewals were approved. Over 180 madrassas have been sealed by the state govt till now.Kautilya SinghDehradun: Five madrassas, including three in Dehradun, have claimed they were sealed by local authorities in Uttarakhand despite having been granted official recognition by the state madrassa board. Seminary managers blamed it on "delay in delivery of letters". This comes even as an intense drive against "illegal" madrassas is currently on in the state.Madrassa Darul ul Quran Shakuriya in Kedarwala area of Vikasnagar, Dehradun, was granted recognition on Feb 27. The certificate was delivered on March 15, and the institution was sealed on March 11. A similar situation occurred at Madrassa Qasmiya Darululoom Ansiya in Vikasnagar and Darul Uloom Mohammadiya in Kargi, Doon. Both were sealed on March 11, while the recognition certificates arrived on March 15.Qari Mohammad Sajid, manager of Darul ul Quran Shakuriya, said, "We repeatedly told the authorities that the maanyata (recognition) has been given by the board and we were waiting for the letter. But despite our requests, the madrassa was sealed. After getting the letter, we have contacted the district authorities..." He added that around 30 students, who went to regular school, used to attend religious studies at the madrassa for an hour.Manager of Qasmiya Darululoom Ansiya, Mohammad Ansiya, said, "We had initially applied in 2020 but due to Covid, the matter got delayed. In 2023, we were told that there were some shortcomings in the documents. Subsequently, all formalities were completed and the application was submitted on Feb 2, 2024."Meanwhile, chairman of the madrassa board, Mufti Shamoon Qasmi told TOI: "Five such cases – three in Doon and one each in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar – have come to our knowledge, and for the time being, we've suspended the sealing work. A probe is on. When they provide the documents, the madrassas would be allowed to operate."He claimed the verification of the applications is done by the minorities welfare department and the permission is granted by the board. "The other applications had certain shortcomings and the applicants were asked to resubmit them later," Qasmi added. He pointed out that two kinds of recognition – temporary and permanent – are given to the madrassas. "They need to get the renewal done after every five years," he said.It was also claimed by madrassa operatives that after chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced action against illegal madrassas last year, the Madrassa Recognition Panel held a meeting on Feb 27 — the first such event after a gap of at least five years. The panel "hurriedly reviewed" 147 applications — 88 for new recognition and 59 for renewal, it was alleged. Of these, 49 new applications and 50 renewals were approved. Over 180 madrassas have been sealed by the state govt till now.