Mayawati condemns sealing of madrasas in Uttarakhand

Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati slammed the Uttarakhand government on Friday for sealing madrasas in Dehradun, urging the government to avoid "prejudiced" and "non-secular" actions that offend religious sentiments.

Mayawati's comments came in response to the recent action taken by the district administration in Dehradun, which sealed 15 madrasas in the district for operating without registration with the relevant board, as part of a broader crackdown on unregistered seminaries.

Mayawati, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, indirectly criticized Congress leader Udit Raj for his comments against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Without naming anyone, she said in a post on X that, "It is commendable that organisations dedicated to the interests of the 'Bahujan Samaj' have strongly condemned and opposed the baseless comments of a boastful and arrogant Congress leader against the BSP and its iron-willed leadership. People should remain cautious of such elements."

Her latest remarks come as a response to Congress leader Udit Raj's criticism of the BSP for expelling her nephew Akash Anand from the party. Raj claimed that this move was evidence of the BSP being controlled by the BJP. Mayawati also took this opportunity to urge BSP workers to observe the birth anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram on March 15 with full missionary spirit.

"I appeal to celebrate the birth anniversary of Honourable Kanshi Ram Ji on March 15 with full missionary spirit. In this regard, I visited and inspected the 'Bahujan Samaj Prerna Kendra' in Lucknow, where his ashes are preserved, as well as the UP state BSP office this morning," she added.

(inputs from PTI)