THANE: Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh has claimed the Maharashtra government is conducting the mapping of madrasas in the state during the holy month of Ramadan and questioned the purpose of such an exercise.
Shaikh, the MLA from Bhiwandi in Thane district, in a statement also asked the government why the community was not consulted or taken into confidence before carrying out such exercise.
While the election code of conduct is in force, the education department, zilla parishads and municipalities across districts are working on mapping madrasas to collect information about the Muslim and non-Muslim students studying in them, he claimed.
"While on one hand, the government is implementing the Dr Zakir Hussain Madrasa Modernization Scheme, on the other, it is carrying out the mapping of the madrasas. During the holy month of Ramadan, the education department employees are harassing the madrasa directors for information," Shaikh further claimed.
He demanded that the exercise be immediately stopped in the month of Ramadan and the government communicate with the community on the matter.