Stop Friday holidays, Assam tells madrasas

Guwahati: In a move that triggered an angry protest from Muslim organisations and madrasa teachers associations, the Assam education department has asked all institutions, including madrasas, in the state to function normally on Friday.

“The government only recently discovered that some madrasa institutions in the state remain closed on Fridays. This is against the law. The government will not hesitate to take action against the heads of such institutions if they do not give up the practice immediately,” said Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“The government has no objection to students attending namaz on Friday afternoon, but madrasas should not be closed on Fridays,” he added.

“I have checked, there were no laws that allowed madrasas and other educational institutes to remain closed on Fridays. It came to the notice of the government recently,” Mr Sarma said.

The education minister’s remarks provoked angry protests in some part of the state, with the All Assam Minority Student Union (AAMSU) staging a protest at Kharupetia by burning an effigy of Mr Sarma. The protesters also blocked roads at some places.

Some Muslim organisations and madrasa teachers’ associations have criticised education minister.

Mr Sarma said, “Madrasas remain closed on Fridays in Pakistan and Bangladesh, not in India. In our country, Sunday is the uniform weekly off for people of all faiths. Madrasas too have to remain closed only on Sundays.”