Muslim bodies hail Supreme Court’s verdict on madrasas

Both Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind in separate statements hailed it as a “landmark judgment” and a “much-needed light at the end of the tunnel”

Muslim bodies have welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgment upholding the validity of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Act, 2004. Both Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind in separate statements hailed it as a “landmark judgment” and a “much-needed light at the end of the tunnel”, which will “help around 17 lakh madrasa students of Uttar Pradesh attain empowerment through education”.

Applauding the verdict, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani called it a “victory for justice”. The Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s education board, Syed Tanvir Ahmed, concurred, saying: “The Supreme Court judgment marks a significant step forward in upholding the educational rights of minority communities in Uttar Pradesh. The Supreme Court’s decision not only safeguards the right of madrasa students to pursue education but also affirms the constitutional principles that protect religious minorities and their educational institutions. The verdict reinforces the State’s positive obligation to enable these institutions to impart both religious and secular education without compromising their identity.”

Related Stories

• Validity of law cannot be challenged for violating Basic Structure: Supreme Court

• Why was the validity of Uttar Pradesh madrasa law upheld by the Supreme Court? | Explained

• Supreme Court upholds validity of Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board Act

• Not all private properties can be used by State for the community: Supreme Court holds in majority decision

The top court had earlier reserved its judgment in the U.P. madrasa case on October 22. The verdict upholding the constitutional validity of Islamic seminaries through the Madrasa Act came after the Allahabad High Court had declared the Act “unconstitutional” as it violated the principles of secularism.

Mr. Madani termed it a “life-saving” verdict for madrasas that would otherwise be staring at an uncertain future, stating: “This ruling goes beyond addressing the technical status of the Madrasa Board — it serves as a critical response to ongoing negative campaigns against madrasas by certain communal forces. The Supreme Court has set a powerful precedent, reaffirming fundamental constitutional principles and safeguarding the rights of minorities.” He reiterated that the three-judge Bench’s verdict “sends a powerful message of justice across the nation at a time when Muslims are feeling increasingly marginalized and isolated.”

Both the Muslim bodies reiterated that the judgment was “a victory of the principle of secularism” and defeat of “evil communal designs”. “We concur with the Honourable Bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and including Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, who emphasised that the mere inclusion of religious training or instruction within a legislative framework does not render it unconstitutional. The court has clarified that secularism is about ‘living and letting live’, promoting a harmonious coexistence of diverse educational approaches within India’s pluralistic society,” Mr. Ahmed said.

The religious leader emphasised that the Madrasa Act is aligned with the State’s duty to standardise education in Islamic schools, ensuring students achieve competency levels that enable societal participation and economic livelihood, stating: “By interpreting Article 21A and the Right to Education Act in harmony with the rights of religious and linguistic minorities, the Supreme Court upheld the principle that madrasas can impart secular education while maintaining their religious character.”

He hoped the judgment puts “an end to the vicious campaign by some agencies that have been trying to malign the image of madrasas and creating a false binary between madrasas and the Right to Education”.

Published - November 05, 2024 11:53 pm IST