Priyank Kanungo, a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), on Tuesday expressed concern over the admission of Hindu children in government -paid madrasas in Morena and Shivpuri districts of Madhya Pradesh. According to Kanungo, about 500 Hindu children are allegedly being taught Quran and other Islamic teachings, making allegations of conspiracy to convert them into Islam. Kanungo told ANI, “We received complaints of enrollment of about 500 Hindu children in government -graded madrasas in Morena and Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh … The complainant has alleged that Hindu children are being converted to convert to the Quran and its related subjects. We have sent this complaint to the Government of Madhya Pradesh for investigation.”
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Kanungo stressed that Hindu children should not be enrolled in madrasas and Muslim children studying in madrasas should also be enrolled in schools for basic education. Kanungo said that our main concern is that Hindu children should not be in madrasas. Even if Muslim children go to madrasas, they should also go to school for their basic education … Therefore, it is important to understand that madrasas are not a place to educate children. If there are Muslim children in the madrasa, then they should be admitted to school while continuing madrasa education.
The NHRC member claimed that the situation is a severe violation of Article 28-3 of the Constitution of India, which prevents religious education in educational institutions operated completely government money. Questioning the use of government money for madrasas, Kanungo said that if the allegations are correct, the state government should take action against the officials responsible. He said, “This is a severe violation of Article 283 of the Indian Constitution and if it is being done by government money, then the state government should take action against these guilty officials….”
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The NHRC has sent the complaint to the Madhya Pradesh government for investigation. Kanungo stressed the need for clarity on the role of madrasas in education and said that these institutions should not replace formal school education. The NHRC has written a letter to the Principal Secretary of the School Education Department of Madhya Pradesh seeking an inquiry into the allegations and the action taken within 15 days. According to a letter written to NHRC on 26 September, the complainant has alleged that a well -organized illegal conversion racket is going on in various districts of Madhya Pradesh, which is targeting 556 Hindu children in 27 unauthorized madrasas and targeting them with the intention of converting them into Islam.