New Delhi: In a significant move, the BJP-led governments in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam have begun shutting down thousands of Islamic madaris (religious schools), with Uttar Pradesh alone targeting more than 8,000 such institutions for closure.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the decision by Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath includes the closure of the historic Darul Uloom Deoband, an institution with a 160-year legacy, alongside other prominent madaris such as Darul Uloom Naduatul Ulama in Lucknow and Jamia Salafia in Benares. This action has sparked considerable distress and opposition among scholars, administrators, and students of the affected schools.

The Madhya Pradesh government has also issued orders to shut down 56 madaris in Shivpur district, following the cessation of state aid. Similarly, in December of the previous year, the Assam government converted 1,281 madaris into Middle English schools, transforming all state-supported Islamic schools into general educational institutions.

These measures have been described by Muslim organizations as extreme suppression. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has voiced strong opposition to these closures and announced plans to challenge the BJP’s orders in court.