‘Govt. will face defeat if minority education Bill taken to court’

The Uttarakhand Congress on Wednesday termed the State’s Minority Education Bill, 2025 as “unconstitutional”, accusing the BJP government of “religious polarisation”. It was stated that the bill has nothing to do with improving the education of minority communities.

Suryakant Dhasmana, vice-president (organisation) of the Uttarakhand Congress unit, said the bill was “unconstitutional and a clear violation of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution”. He also claimed that the government would face defeat on the issue if challenged in court.

‘Target madrasa’

Questioning the new law requiring all educational institutions for minority communities to be affiliated with the Uttarakhand Board of School Education, Mr. Dhasmana said these institutions operate only after obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Education Department. “Many schools run by Sikh institutions and Christian missionaries in the state are affiliated with CBSE, ICSE or international boards… the government’s aim is not to improve education of any minority community but to perpetuate religious polarization by targeting only madrassas run by the Muslim community,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, Mufti Shamoon Qasmi, Chairman of the Uttarakhand Madarsa Education Board, termed the bill as a “very good step” by the government and said it would provide quality education to children in the Muslim community.

The bill was passed during the Monsoon Session of Parliament held in Gairsain in August and received the assent of Lieutenant Governor Gurmeet Singh (retired) on Monday. It will become law after the notification is published.