‘Madrassa’ word should cease to exist, says Assam CM Himanta

NEW DELHI: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday asserted that the word “madrasa” should cease to exist and that there should be “modern education” in all schools.
“Madrassa, the word itself, should cease to exist,” Sarma said and added, “Children are admitted to madrassa by violating their human rights.”
In his reassertion of opposition to madrassa education, Sarma said that entry to any religious institution should be at an age where individuals can make their own decisions.
Speaking at a media conclave organised by RSS-linked weeklies ‘Panchjanya’ and ‘Organiser’, Sarma said children would not be willing to go to a madrassa if they are told that they won’t be able to become a doctor or engineer after studying there.
After the event, Sarma elaborated on his remarks saying that the education system in madrassas should be such that they can give students the choice to do anything in the future. Sarma said every child deserves to get formal education.
When it was pointed out that students going to madrassas are brilliant as they remember the Quaran verbally, Sarma said, “...if a Madrassa going child is meritorious, it is because of his Hindu heritage... at one point of time all Muslims were Hindus”.