As their core political strategy, the Opposition Parties such as the Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC, etc., have engaged with the Muslim community around emotional identity politics, with no genuine concern for their real progress, reducing them to a mere vote bank.
An example in this case is the madrasa education system in Uttar Pradesh. Trapped in rigid myopic theology and producing generations of students ill-equipped for modern society, no serious effort was ever undertaken by past regimes to reform or equip Muslim boys and girls with contemporary education and skills.
In contrast, the BJP’s development centric vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” is committed to uplifting the poor and vulnerable sections, irrespective of religion, caste, or creed. Implementing this vision, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath undertook the sensitive challenge of modernising the madrasa education system through reforms focused on ensuring transparency, quality, and employability, thereby enabling Muslim students to participate meaningfully in the state’s progress.
From vote-bank to real progress
Opposition parties have pursued appeasement and rigid identity politics in their approach towards Muslims, while sidelining substantive concerns like education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, and employment. Instead of addressing these issues, they have turned to invoking emotional identity debates around the topics of Uniform Civil Code, triple talaq, and the Shah Bano case.
In fact, opposition parties’ rule has always been marked by riots and unrest, claiming Muslim lives, such as in Hashimpura, Meerut, Bhagalpur, etc (under Congress rule), exposing the hollowness of their politics. In Uttar Pradesh too, successive regimes before 2017 employed this approach of keeping Muslims uneducated, isolated and confined within narrow traditions and rigid mindsets.
In contrast, BJP ruled states have shown better outcomes for Muslim upliftment, whether addressing the encephalitis crisis through improved hygiene and living standards in UP, raising economic standards for Gujarati Muslims compared to Bengali Muslims, or providing security to all, which helps explain the difference between identity driven appeasement politics and development centred governance.
The madrasa education system became one of the starkest symbols of deliberate neglect of the appeasement ecosystem. Over 13,300 recognised institutions with over 12 lakh students are trapped in rigid theology, inadequate infrastructure, opaque teacher appointments, outdated curricula, often taught with non civic values and separatist tendencies rather than integration with mainstream society. The Supreme Court’s rejection of Kamil and Fazil degrees and reports of several madrasas functioning only on paper underscored systemic flaws and irregularities.
In the political arena, community reform in education is seldom treated as a pressing priority. However, in line with the Modi government’s development agenda, rooted in “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” and the vision of “Quran in one hand and computer in the other”, Yogi Adityanath’s administration has moved with courage and determination in overhauling the madrasa education system.
His government has mandated alignment with NCERT and SCERT and made subjects including Mathematics, Science, English, and Hindi compulsory under the New Education Policy 2020. The Madrasa Modernisation Scheme, which had been largely dormant until 2017, is now operational, and thousands of teachers have been trained under it.
Accountability is enforced through audits, scrutiny of foreign funding, and digitalisation of records and processes. The launch of the Madrasa Portal in 2017 digitalised exams, certification and records, while proposed amendments to the 2004 Act aim to integrate madrasas with national standards under rigorous oversight.
Through sincere efforts to modernise the Madrasa system, Yogi Adityanath’s government also seeks to embed constitutional values, broaden horizons, integrate with the mainstream, and dismantle the shackles of orthodoxy that have long plagued Muslim society in UP. Crucially, these reforms preserve the Islamic core of the education system, reflecting Yogi Adityanath’s honesty and genuine statesmanship.
Data celebrates achievements
Yogi Adityanath’s overhaul represents balanced and effective progress, yielding impressive results. More than 18,000 staff within government-aided madrasas now receive salaries under the Seventh Pay Commission, while infrastructure has been upgraded for over 7,000 madrasas. Furthermore, 8,500 unrecognised institutions have been identified through surveys.
Nearly 12.35 lakh students now have access to computer labs, modern subjects and future-ready skills. In 2026, more than 80,000 candidates appeared for the munshi/maulvi (secondary) and alim (senior secondary) examinations, an 18% increase from the previous year.
While the overall pass percentage stood at a remarkable 88.26 percent, girls outperformed with a 94.30 percent pass rate, demonstrating how the reforms are especially empowering Muslim girls. CM Yogi has honoured the top rank holders in 2026 exams, recognising merit and motivating others into excellence too.
Political opposition to the reforms aims to maintain the pre-2017 status quo of neglect. On the other hand, Yogi Adityanath is making sincere progress across UP. He has dealt with a sensitive challenge with strategic acumen, showcasing his determination to put the nation first and inclusive development.
Shehzad Poonawalla
National Spokesperson, BJP
Vijeta Rattani
Development and sustainability expert
(Views are personal)
