NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said he never called for the closure of madrassas but recommended state funding to these institutions be stopped as they are depriving poor Muslim children of education.
He said that Muslim children from improverished backgrounds are often pressured into religious schooling over secular education. We advocate for equitable educational opportunities for all children.
In a recent report, the apex child rights body, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) raised serious concerns about the state of functioning in madrassas and called for stopping the state funding unless they comply with the Right to Education Act.
Responding to the functioning of the madrassas, Kanoongo criticised certain groups within the country for “fearing” the empowerment of the poor Muslim community.
“There exists a faction in our nation that dreads the empowerment of Muslims. Their fear stems from the anticipation that empowered communities will demand accountability and equal rights,” he told PTI in an interview.
This, he suggested, is a primary reason behind the resistance to inclusive educational reforms.
This story was originally published in business-standard.com. Read the full story here.