By Akhilesh Tripathi / India Tomorrow
Lucknow—Uttar Pradesh government is using bulldozers to target residences, business establishments, and education centers of a particular community.
All is being done in the name of the anti-encroachment drive. However, the rule of law is being flouted openly.
The latest case relates to Madrasa Islamia at Ghatampur in Kanpur district. For the last 50 years, the madrasa has been functioning in the area. On Wednesday, Ghatampur Municipal Council and the Ghatampur administration demolished Madrasa Islamia without giving any notice.
Nagar Palika Parishad and the administration started using bulldozers without listening to anything. With great difficulty, the children were allowed to leave. When the bulldozers were unleashed, students were busy in classrooms.
Madrasa management tried hard to convince the officials, but to no avail. Even the administration did not bother to have a look at the documents
The principal talked to Ghatampur SDM Ayush Chaudhary and asked him to come to the spot and check their documents. SDM assured him no injustice will be done. But despite this, the SDM did not turn up.
Madrasa Islamia was founded by Isaac, a resident of Kajiana Shivpuri in Ghatampur, some 50 years ago. Isaac was its founding principal and manager. After his death, his son-in-law ran this madrasa.
Two years ago, somebody complained to the then SDM Varun Pandey claiming that madrasa was built on government land. He took action against the madrasa without verifying the facts. He allotted the madrasa land to the municipality council of Ghatampur.
New SDM Ayush Chaudhary ordered the demolition of the madrasa.
No notice was given either by the Ghatampur administration or Ghatampur Municipal Council. Under rules, notice has to be served to the other side.
“Madrasa is built on our land and we have papers to prove it. Our madrasa is recognized. If it was not our land, how did the government give recognition? Could this also be subject to investigation? But there will be no hearing on this. I spoke to the SDM sahib on mobile. He took unilateral action and the madrassa was bulldozed. This is sheer injustice,” said Intizar, principal and manager of Madrasa Islamia.,
There is a lot of resentment among the Muslim community against the government’s action. Madrasa management met Hafiz Abdul Quddus, Qazi-e-Shahar of Kanpur, and apprised him of the incident. They also showed him the papers relating to the land.
Qazi-e-Shahar met the District Magistrate of Kanpur and apprised him of the whole matter. He also met ADM City and informed him about this matter. ADM City promised Qazi-e-Shahar that justice will be done. But till now, no official has contacted the madrasa management.
This article first appeared on indiatomorrow.net