LUCKNOW: Singing the national anthem has been made mandatory in madrasas across Uttar Pradesh, the state Madrasa Education Board said in an order on Thursday. The order will be applicable to all recognised, aided and non-aided madarsas.
SN Pandey, registrar of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board, had issued an order in this regard to all the district minority welfare officers on May 9.
As per the order, in the wake of the decision taken at the board meeting on March 24, the national anthem was made mandatory at the time of prayer in all madrasas from the new academic session.
According to Pandey, during the month of Ramzan, the madrasas had holidays from March 30 to May 11 and regular classes started from May 12. Therefore, the order came into effect on Thursday.
The national anthem will be played before the start of the classes in the morning, according to the decision taken in the board meeting on March 24. District minority welfare officers will have to monitor regularly to ensure compliance with
the order.
According to office bearers of the Madrasa Teachers Union, till now in madrasas, usually Hamd (praises to Allah) and Salam (greetings of Muhammad) were read before the start of classes. In some places, the national anthem was also sung but it was not compulsory. But now, it has been made mandatory.
Minister of state for minority welfare Danish Azad Ansari said the government wanted the students of madrasas to be imbued with the spirit of patriotism.
“Madrasa education is crucial for minorities. When national anthem is sung, students would learn social values. The government is working for the uplift of madrasa education. Now the students study Islamic religious scriptures along with other subjects including math, science and computers."
At present, there are a total of 16,461 madrasas in Uttar Pradesh, out of which 560 receive grants from the government.