Assam’s rights organization named Universal Human Rights Organisation or UHRO
has slammed madrassas in the State for violating children’s rights by engaging
them in donation collection.
There are hundreds of big and small madrassas in the State, some of which
are unrecognized. The UHRO has also warned of taking legal action against them
if this trend continued.
The UHRO noted that children under the age of 14 were engaged in
collecting donations from house to house and on the streets instead of
imparting education to them.
The rights organization alleged that it was akin to sending the children
out to beg and shot off letters to many organizations linked with the welfare
of madrassas.
UHRO Chairman Abdur Razeeb said, “There are management committees set up
to manage the madrassas. It is their responsibility to run the madrassas and
generate the funds required to run them. Instead, it is seen that young
children, sometimes below 14 years of age, are sent out to collect donations or
handouts.”
He added, “They are seen collecting donations from house to house or in a
dangerous manner on the streets, in the name of their madrassa. This is a big
offence and a gross violation of the children’s rights as well as labour laws.”
Razeeb insisted, “There should be a clear, transparent manner of
operation for the madrassas. Children cannot be forced to collect donations. It
is the duty of the management committees of the madrassas to get the requisite
funds for running them.
Madrassas in Assam are recognised by different boards, like the All Assam
Tanzim Madaris Qawmiya Board, the All Assam Anfar Board, and the All Assam
Talimi Taraqqi Board. We have written to them, as well as the Qawmi Madrasa
Students Association, about the way these madrassas are operating. If this
continues, we will lodge cases against them in the respective districts where
the madrassas are located.”
Besides this, Abdur Razeeb alleged that 50 per cent of the madrassas are
not imparting general education to the students.
He informed, “They should provide general education to the students at
the madrassas, so that they are also educated in other subjects besides
religious instruction and able to get a job.”
NE Watch Desk
