New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Tuesday strongly condemned remarks made by exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen on madrassas, describing them as “inflammatory, misleading and factually baseless”, and urged the Central government to take serious cognisance of the issue.
The controversy stems from comments Nasreen made during a press conference in Kolkata on Sunday, where she said that madrassas “should not exist”. She alleged that some Islamic seminaries had become breeding grounds for extremism and cited instances of child abuse, claiming that certain institutions were producing “jihadis” and operating without adequate government oversight.
Responding to the remarks, AIMPLB spokesperson S.Q.R. Ilyas rejected the allegations, calling them a “blatant falsehood” and a deliberate attempt to malign India’s Islamic educational institutions.
In a statement, Ilyas said the comments not only hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Indian Muslims but also risked disturbing communal harmony by portraying an entire religious and educational tradition in a negative light without credible evidence.
The Board also objected to Nasreen’s intervention in matters relating to India’s religious and constitutional framework, noting that she is a foreign national living in India as a refugee. It urged the government to ensure that no individual uses the pretext of free speech to spread hatred, defame religious institutions or interfere in the country’s internal affairs.
The AIMPLB further argued that allegations linking madrassas with extremism have surfaced repeatedly over the years but have never been substantiated by credible evidence or findings from investigative and security agencies.
According to the Board, attempts to portray Islamic seminaries as centres of radicalisation have become part of a broader political and ideological campaign aimed at discrediting these institutions.
The organisation also expressed concern over Nasreen’s comments relating to Bangladesh, saying such statements could be inconsistent with India’s balanced foreign policy and have the potential to affect bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The AIMPLB called on the Centre to take serious note of the author’s remarks, prevent foreign refugees from interfering in India’s internal and religious affairs, and safeguard the country’s constitutional values and communal harmony.
Nasreen, who returned to Kolkata after nearly 19 years and was felicitated at a state government programme at Rabindra Sadan on Saturday, defended her views by alleging that some madrassas foster intolerance and witness cases of abuse. Her remarks have since triggered sharp reactions from Muslim organisations, adding to an already sensitive debate over religious education in the country.