Guwahati: Reacting over the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's statement on Madrassas, the All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said that unlike 'shakhas' Madrassas taught self-respect and empathy.
Taking to the micro-blogging site Twitter, Owaisi said that the Assam CM is "busy with hate speech" when 18 people have died in the state and seven lakh have been affected due to floods.
''18 people have died in Assam & 7 lakh have been affected due to floods but he's busy with hate speech While Sanghis were acting as British agents, Madrasas were at the forefront of the freedom movement. Many madrasas do teach science, math & social studies besides Islam,'' he tweeted.
''Unlike Shakhas, they teach self-respect & empathy. Illiterate Sanghis wouldn't understand. Why did Hindu social reformer Raja Ram Mohun Roy study in a madrasa? Obsessing over Muslim ancestry shows your inferiority complex. Muslims have enriched India & will continue to do so,'' he added.
Assam CM had recently triggered a row by stating that madrassas do not teach anything relevant that can foster development in students' life as it only teaches about religious doctrines and only about Quran and under madrasa the students cannot become doctors or engineers.
He was speaking at an event organized to mark the 75th anniversary of 'Panchjanya', where he also asserted that children will not be able to think of becoming doctors and engineers till the word 'madrasa' exists.
'As long as this word (madrasa) is there, children will not be able to think of becoming doctors and engineers. If you tell children that studying in madrasas will not make them doctors or engineers, they will refuse to go on their own,'' he had said.
The Assam CM further said that there should be an emphasis on Science, Math, Biology, Botany, and Zoology, adding, ''There should be general education in schools''.
'Religious texts can be taught at home. But in schools, children should study to become doctors, engineers, professors, and scientists,'' he added.
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