Assam: Madrassas flayed for asking children to collect donations

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A rights organization of the state named Universal Human Rights Organisation (UHRO) levelled a grave allegation against madrassas in the state, accusing them of violating children’s rights by engaging them in donation collection and threatening legal action against them if this trend continued.

Madrassas are educational institutions, mostly with boarding facilities, where Islamic religious instruction is imparted to Muslim students, generally from lower-income groups. There are hundreds of big and small madrassas in the state, some of which are unrecognized.

The UHRO stated that children under the age of 14 were engaged in collecting donations from house to house and on the streets instead of imparting education to them. The organization alleged that it was akin to sending the children out to beg and shot off letters to several organizations connected with the welfare of madrassas.

Talking to The Sentinel, UHRO Chairman Abdur Razeeb said, “There are management committees set up to manage the madrassas. It is their responsibility to run the madrassas and generate the funds required to run them. Instead, it is seen that young children, sometimes below 14 years of age, are sent out to collect donations or handouts. They are seen collecting donations from house to house or in a dangerous manner on the streets, in the name of their madrassa. This is a big offence and a gross violation of the children’s rights as well as labour laws.”

He insisted, “There should be a clear, transparent manner of operation for the madrassas. Children cannot be forced to collect donations. It is the duty of the management committees of the madrassas to get the requisite funds for running them. Madrassas in Assam are recognised by different boards, like the All Assam Tanzim Madaris Qawmiya Board, the All Assam Anfar Board, and the All Assam Talimi Taraqqi Board. We have written to them, as well as the Qawmi Madrasa Students Association, about the way these madrassas are operating. If this continues, we will lodge cases against them in the respective districts where the madrassas are located.”

Abdur Razeeb also alleged that 50% of the madrassas are not providing general education to the students. He said, “They should provide general education to the students at the madrassas, so that they are also educated in other subjects besides religious instruction and able to get a job.”

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