UP Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi shot off yet another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding mandatory verification of antecedents of students of foreign countries studying in Islamic seminaries (madarsas) and educational institutions by Intelligence authorities for national security. In an earlier letter to the Prime Minister, Rizvi had demanded banning of madarsas terming them as breeding ground for extremism. Accusing Deobandi Sunni Muslims of attempting to radicalise Muslim youths, Rizvi also demanded a mechanism to be evolved whereby donations and other income earned by madarsas could be monitored. He said that it was imperative for national security to counter nefarious designs of Jehadi group’s and Wahabis (Deobandi) as they were trying to radicalise Muslim youths and impressionable minds by spreading misconceived policies. Much to the chagrin of Muslim clerics, the Waqf Board chairman wanted the hoisting of national tricolour on days like Republic Day and Independence Day in madarsas as per rules laid down in Indian Flag code mandatory. Rizvi also demanded that the daily singing of the national anthem in madarsas by teachers and students be made compulsory. He said this was the fundamental duty of every Indian citizen under Article 51 (A) of the Constitution. In August last year, UP government had directed all madarsas recognised by UP Madarsa Education Board to celebrate Independence Day and students to sing the national anthem. Many madarsas refused to comply with the order saying it was un-Islamic and they would sing ‘Saare jahan se accha Hindustan hamara’ instead of the national anthem. In his letter, Rizvi said: “Seminars and conferences at regular intervals be held in madarsas where role of Indian revolutionaries and educationists including Muslim intellectuals be taught to students. The Shia Waqf Board chairman also said that madarsa education be revamped by making suitable amendments in educational curriculum and bringing it at par with Central Board of Secondary Education, ICSE and state education boards. He said this would enable madarsa students to compete in the job market. “There should be total transparency in functioning of madarsas so that terror elements do not get entry. Besides, a district level committee should be formed to track activities in madarsas on a day to day basis,” he said.