'Assam Repealing Act-2020' receives Governor Jagdish Mukhi's assent

* 97 Sanskrit tols would be handed over to 'Kumar Bhaskarvarma Sanskrit University'

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Governor of Assam (Prof.) Jagdish Mukhi, on Wednesday, gave his assent to the 'Assam Repealing Act-2020' following which the State-run madarassas will now function as general educational institutions.

Meanwhile, terming the development as "historic" and "progressive", State Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a tweet: "Glad that the 'Assam Repealing Act-2020' has received the assent of honourable Governor; and has come into effect. The 'Madarassas Education (Provincialisation) Act-1995' and the 'Assam Madrassa Education Act-2018' now stand repealed. All the government madrassas will now run as general education trusts."

An official of the Education Department said, "With the enforcement of the 'Assam Repealing Act-2020', over 620 madrassas would be converted into general schools from April 1."

With the enforcement of this Act, the 'State Madrassa Education Board' in Assam would also be disbanded, added the official.

However, the State government is yet to take any specific decision about hundreds of privately-run madrassas across Assam.

Mentionably, amid protests by the Opposition parties, including the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front, the State Assembly had passed the Assam Repealing Bill-2020 on December 30 last year.

The Bill was brought to abolish the 'Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation) Act-1995' and the 'Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation of Services of Employees and Re-Organisation of Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act-2018'. The gazette notification in this regard was issued on January 30.

The Education Minister had earlier said that the 97 government-run Sanskrit tols (centres of Vedic education) would also be shut as the government cannot fund religious education because it is a "secular entity".

He had said that these 97 Sanskrit tols would be handed over to 'Kumar Bhaskarvarma Sanskrit University'. The tols will be converted into centres of learning and research where Indian culture, civilisation and nationalism will be studied.

"Irrespective of religion, Indian culture, civilisation and nationalism will be taught in these converted educational institutions, making Assam the first Indian state to teach on these themes," Sarma told the media.

Sarma had said that the State government had been spending Rs 260 crore annually for running the madrassas and "the government cannot spend public money for religious teaching".

A survey conducted by a Gauhati University professor, who happens to be a Muslim, found that the parents and guardians of most madrassa students are not aware that their children are not taught regular subjects but imparted lessons mostly in theology.

Minister Sarma also claimed that most Islamic scholars are also not in favour of madrassas run by the government, and added that these were a legacy of the Muslim League.

The State Education Minister had pointed out that madrassa education had started in Assam in 1934 when Sir Syed Muhammad Saadulla was the Prime Minister of Assam during the British regime.