I am not here to produce mullahs: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has once again made headlines for his comments on madrassas while campaigning for assembly elections in Bihar. In a recent statement, Sarma said, "Madrassas must be shut down across India, country doesn't need mullahs." He emphasized that Muslim students should aspire to become doctors, engineers, and professionals rather than religious leaders.

Sarma says he doesn't support the idea of creating mullahs, stating, "I didn't give a contract to make mullahs." He further revealed that he took decisive action, shutting down hundreds of madrassas in a single day.
Sarma recounted an incident where an officer approached him for funding madrassas. He claimed to have asked the officer about the purpose and function of madrassas, and subsequently instructed him to shut them down. The officer reportedly expressed concerns that shutting down madrassas would create controversy. Sarma's response was resolute: "Let there be controversy, I shut them down anyway."

Background

This isn't the first time CM Sarma has expressed his views on madrassas. Earlier in 2023, his government converted over 1,200 government-run madrassas into general schools under the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA). Sarma justified the move, stating that these institutions were only producing mullahs, which wasn't beneficial to society in any way.

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Despite the government's move, many private madrasas continue to operate in the state as Private madrassas are protected by the constitutions of India as it is written that the government cannot touch minority-run educational institutes. CM Sarma's recent comments suggest that he remains critical of these institutions, sparking debate about the role of madrassas in modern education.

Sarma's comments have sparked a controversy, with many reacting to his statement on social media. Critics argue that the CM's views are divisive and target a specific community, while others support his stance on promoting modern education.