Uproar over U.P. Deputy CM comment on Madrasas, aimed to fuel communal polarisation, says Congress

Image used for representational purposes only. File | Prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind also condemned the remarks on madrasas, calling them provocative, prejudiced and a deliberate attempt to undermine social harmony. Speaking to reporters in Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday (August 4, 2026), the Deputy CM said, “Those who receive a madrasa education neither chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ nor sing ‘Vande Mataram’; instead, they develop a terrorist-like mindset. Whether a madrasa is in Bangladesh, Pakistan, or India, it unofficially breeds terrorism,” he said. “Such a statement is aimed at disrupting communal harmony and fuelling communal tensions in view of elections. Madrasas have a rich legacy and acted as key centres in the freedom movement; the BJP leaders are doing anything possible to communalise society and create an environment against a particular community. As elections in U.P. are coming, such statements will become a routine for electoral gains. The judiciary should take cognisance of the attempt to fuel social unrest,” said Shahnawaz Alam, National Secretary, Congress. Published - August 05, 2026 09:55 am IST