Assam government unfazed by AIUDF threat; to go after madrassas involved in ‘jihadi’ activities

"The AIUDF and Congress have many jihadi supporters. Whenever the government takes some strong actions, these parties don’t like it," said Pijush Hazarika.
Representational Image. (File Photo)
Representational Image. (File Photo)

GUWAHATI: Even as Assam’s minority-based party All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) threatened to move the Supreme Court against the increasing incidents of demolition of madrassas, the state government said its actions against the Islamic institutions would continue if they are found involved in “jihadi” activities.

Minister Pijush Hazarika said the government is not against madrassas but those, which have links with al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent and the Bangladesh-based Ansarullah Bangla Team, would have to be demolished.

“They (the two terror organisations) are now trying to radicalise people and make them religious fanatics. Subsequently, they will be used to trigger bomb blasts to kill the people of Assam. A development-oriented government cannot allow such activities,” he said.

The minister said the locals had helped the administration when a madrassa was brought down in the Bongaigaon district two days ago.

ALSO READ | Stop ‘bulldozer raj’ and deal with anti-national elements legally: Assam MP Maulana Ajmal

Not everyone is bad. These people are against anti-national activities, Hazarika, who is considered close to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, said.

He took a jibe at the AIUDF and the Congress, calling them the supporters of jihadi activities.

“People, who are the supporters of jihadi activities, will oppose such actions of the government. The AIUDF and Congress have many jihadi supporters. Whenever the government takes some strong actions, these parties don’t like it. But we are not afraid of them and we will keep taking the actions,” Hazarika said.

He appealed to the AIUDF to go to people and educate them that they should stay away from jihadi activities.

ALSO READ | Assam madrassa with 'links' to terror outfits demolished for building norms violation

The government bulldozed three madrassas – all of them private – in the past month on the charges of sheltering jihadi elements and propagating Islamic fundamentalism. The actions followed the busting of some terror modules and the arrest of 37 people, including a Bangladeshi national, by the police.

Two days ago, AIUDF chief and Lok Sabha member Maulana Badruddin Ajmal had threatened to move the top court on the issue of demolition of madrassas. He had appealed to the government to stop “bulldozer raj”.

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