Madrasas have decided not to comply with state government's order as Islam doesn't allow installation of pictures of living beings inside mosques and madrasas.
Photo: Photo/Jay Kumar Anna BJPMadrasas in Uttarakhand have refused to comply with a state government's order of installing PM Modi's portrait in all educational institutions.
Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, on the other hand, criticised the madrasas for their refusal to put up a portrait of the prime minister inside their premises, asking them to give up their "conservatism" on the issue.
"Installing the prime minister's portrait in all government institutions and those being run on government grants has been an established practice. The madrasas should give up their conservatism on the issue," Rawat told PTI.
"Madrasas are also educational institutions. They should not have any objection to installing a portrait of the prime minister. They should view the issue from the Indian point of view," Rawat added.
However, the madrasas have denied state government's order on the basis of religious grounds.
"The madrasas in the state have not installed pictures of the prime minister because of religious beliefs as Islam prohibits installation of pictures of living beings inside mosques and madrasas," Deputy Registrar of Uttarakhand Madrasa Board Akhlaq Ahmad had told PTI yesterday.
Ahmad also added that the refusal to install the picture of the prime minister inside the madrasas should not be interpreted as their opposition to an individual.
"They are not opposed to any individual in particular. It is purely due to religious beliefs. Islam does not permit us to install pictures of living things or individuals, including those of religious leaders, inside the mosques or madrasas," Ahmad had said.
The order was issued post Independence Day, last year, to all the government-run educational institutions in order to implement his vision of building a new India by 2022.
With inputs from PTI