Only hours after Uttar Pradesh Minister of State Mohsin Raza claimed in a statement that UP government may soon introduce dress code for the students in the madrassa, his senior ministers rejected the statement saying that government has not formed any policy regarding the matter.
Cabinet minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary tonight tweeted, “Madarso mein dress code ko lekar sarkar ne koi nayi niti nirdharit nahi ki hai. Iss vishay ko lekar vibhaag ka koi mat nahi hai (The government has not formed any new policy pertaining to the dress code of the madrassas. On this issue, there is no view of the department).”
Earlier in the day, the Minister of State for Muslim Waqf and Haj, Mohsin Raza, said, “The aim of the UP government is to bring madrassas at par with other educational institutions in every sense. Till now, students in madrassas have been wearing ‘kurta-payjamasʼ but now this dress code will make it more formal… We might also try to meet the expenses,” said Raza.
Chaudhary is the Cabinet Minister for Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj.
The minister said that only BJP-led governments have been doing justice with the minorities while other sees them only as a vote bank. Raza further said that the current dressing style of the students (madrassa) clearly reflects the demarcation between them and the students of the other schools.
The government’s move evoked a mixed reaction from the community as some welcomed the move and other questioned by saying what is the need for the government to tinker with the traditional attire of the students going to madrassa.
“We will welcome it, if it is good, but only after seeing what the changes are and with what intentions they are being brought,” said UP unit president of the Jamait Ulema-e-Hind, Ashhad Rashidi.
The spokesperson for All India Shia Personal Law Board, Yasoob Abbas, questioned the government’s move. “Who has objected to the traditional attire… it is acceptable by all… we are not in favour of the government forcing a new dress for students,” Abbas said.