Friday holiday scrapped as BJP-led Uttarakhand Govt tightens control over madrasas
text_fields
After the abolition of the Madrasa Board in the state and the integration of Muslim institutions into the regular education system, the BJP-led government in Uttarakhand has now directed all Muslim educational institutions to end the Friday holiday, which had been the practice for a long time, a move that has been criticised as a continuation of intolerance towards the Muslim community in the state.
Friday, or Yawm al-Jumu‘ah, holds special religious significance in Islam, being regarded as the weekly Eid, when Muslims gather for congregational prayers. The change has therefore prompted concern among sections of the community, although the authorities maintain that Friday prayers will not be disrupted.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami defended the decision, arguing that educational institutions should follow a uniform system across the state, in keeping with the government’s broader approach, which includes the introduction of a Uniform Civil Code.
Under the new regulatory framework, the 452 institutions previously recognised by the state Madrasa Board must obtain formal recognition and affiliation to continue operating as schools. Of the institutions that have applied under the revised system, 76 have secured recognition, while 114 applications remain under consideration.
Dr Surjeet Singh Gandhi, chairperson of the Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority, said the recognised institutions include 44 in Haridwar, 24 in Udham Singh Nagar, six in Dehradun and two in Nainital. He maintained that all recognised schools must observe the weekly holiday prescribed by the Education Department, adding that Friday prayers would remain unaffected as school hours generally end by 1 pm.
Meanwhile, the state has sealed 250 unauthorised madrasas in the first phase of its action, according to Minority Welfare Department secretary Dr Parag Madhukar Dhakate. He said an inquiry had found that children from other states had been brought to some institutions, although further details about their present status were not disclosed.
Congress spokesperson Dr Pratima Singh criticised the government, questioning why it focused on madrasas, mosques and shrines rather than addressing the state’s wider educational shortcomings.
The move follows a similar decision in Assam in 2016, while a proposal to shift madrasas’ weekly holiday from Friday to Sunday in Uttar Pradesh in 2022 was not implemented. Muslim organisations have also expressed concern that Uttarakhand’s new framework could undermine constitutionally protected minority rights.