Asad Madani condemns Indian minister’s Islamophobic remarks on madrasas
New Delhi: Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani, President of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, has vehemently condemned remarks made by Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, which labeled madrasas as breeding grounds for terrorism.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Kumar’s controversial statements, made during an event, claimed that some madrasas are training students in dangerous skills, even alleging they instruct individuals on using AK-47 rifles with broomsticks. Kumar, the former Telangana BJP chief, also criticized the state government for funding these Muslim institutions.
In a strongly worded statement, Maulana Asad Madani characterized Kumar’s comments as baseless and indicative of a deliberate effort to incite malice and Islamophobia in India. In a strongly worded statement, he expressed deep concern over the minister’s remarks, calling them a threat to communal harmony. “It is troubling that someone with such divisive views holds a key position in the government,” he stated, noting Kumar’s history of targeting minority communities with inflammatory rhetoric.
Madani defended the role of Islamic madrasas in India, calling them “pillars of both Islamic heritage and India’s pluralistic fabric.” He highlighted the contributions of madrasas to education, moral guidance, and interfaith harmony, and stressed their integral role in India’s cultural legacy.
“For over two centuries, madrasas have served as beacons of religious tolerance and peace,” he emphasized.
Madani categorically dismissed Kumar’s claims linking madrasas to terrorism as a “gross distortion of facts.” He ridiculed the notion that madrasas could manufacture AK-47s from broomsticks, calling the accusations absurd and irresponsible.
In light of these remarks, Madani urged the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs to issue a public apology, emphasizing the need for responsible discourse to foster unity rather than division in a diverse society. His statements reflect growing concerns over the rise of Islamophobia in Modi’s India.
