Madrassas of Uttarakhand have shot down a directive issued by the state government sometime back asking all educational establishments which were under it to display a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their premises. The directive which was issued shortly after Independence day last year asked educational institutions to "take a pledge to ensure building a new India by 2022 in accordance with the vision of PM Modi and put up a picture of the Prime Minister in your premises." The directive which was issued by a secretary-rank officer in the state government also asked the institutions to inform the government about the progress made in carrying out the instructions.
Reacting to the directive, office bearers of madrassas in the state held consultations after which they decided they will not comply with the directive "on religious grounds." Speaking with TOI, Haji Aklakh Ahmad, the deputy registrar of Uttarakhand Madrassa Education Board, the body which oversees madrassas in the state, said, "Members of various madrassas told us that the directive was an attempt to infringe the norms of Islam. They informed us that since Islam outrightly disapproves putting up any picture inside the madrassa, so there is no question of putting up a photo of the PM." Incidentally, shortly after the state government sent its directive, the minority welfare department also instructed district minority welfare officers to ensure adherence to the order. Accordingly, madrassas were again informed by district minority welfare officers to "put up a picture of PM Modi in your respective madrassas." Terming this "an order which may give a political colour to madrassas", Ehsaan Saheb, a Roorkee-based veteran madrassa teacher, said, "The state government's insistence to put up a picture of the PM is not possible for us since it is against our religion to do so. Also, the move might give political colours to madrassas. Our task is to instill morality and unity among children and not indulge in politics."