Uttar Pradesh govt directs Madarsas to hoist tricolour on Aug 15

The Yogi Adityanath government had recently asked madrasas affiliated to the UP Madrasa Shiksha Parishad to pay tribute to freedom fighters and hold cultural programmes on August 15.

The Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Shiksha Parishad on Friday directed all Madarsas in the state to unfurl national flag and recite national anthem on August 15.

Uttar Pradesh Minority Affairs Minister Mohsin Raza welcomed the decision as 'good initiative by the government'. Calling it as a good initiative, he said: '' Government will review video recordings and encourage, felicitate participants.''

State BJP leader Vinay Katiyar went a step ahead by threatening Madarsas who defy the circular. He said: 'In madarsas, national anthem should be sung and national flag be hoisted. People who don't agree should be categorised as 'Deshdrohi'.

The Yogi Adityanath government had recently asked madrasas affiliated to the UP Madrasa Shiksha Parishad to pay tribute to freedom fighters and hold cultural programmes on August 15.

According to the circular:

• The flag hoisting and recitation of the National Anthem will take place at 8 am.
• Tribute will be paid to the martyrs of the freedom struggle.
• Students have been asked to sing patrotic songs
• Student to discuss the history of August 15 and the freedom fighters.
• Cultural programmes based on the theme of national unity, along with sports activities.
• Sweets will be distributed at the end of the session.
• The parishad has also sent the text of the National Anthem in both Hindi and Urdu.

It may be recalled that, in 2016, an RSS affiliate's advice to madrasas to hoist the national flag on campuses on Republic Day had drawn criticism from prominent Islamic seminary Darul-uloom-Deoband, prompting the Muslim Rashtriya Manch to clarify it never doubted the patriotism of these institutions.

The Islamic seminary has objected to the MRM's call and asked the RSS whether it "believed" in the Constitution of India and the national flag.

Seminary's spokesperson had slammed RSS which worships the Bhagwa Ghwaj (saffron flag). He had said that the RSS should hoist tricolour at its headquarters and other offices and only then it should talk about madrasas.

(With agency inputs)