Government is considering enactment of a new legislation to check the receipt and utilisation of foreign contributions by madrasas and other organisations, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. However, government has not carried out any survey regarding foreign funding to madrasas in the border areas of the country, Minister of State for Home Vidyasagar Rao said, replying to supplementaries in the Question Hour during which some allies and the Opposition sought to nail down the government accusing it of not coming out clearly on the issue and causing confusion.

The minister said the legisation would replace the existing Foreign Contribution (Regulation), 1976, which in its present form lacks adequate safeguards to regulate flow and utilisation of foreign contributions, he said. He said madrasas were mushrooming in the country and their figure stood at 31,850 at present, of which 11,453 were in the border areas itself and added the ISI was trying to exploit and mislead the students at madrasas. On the question of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya demanding a probe into the role of madrasas, he said the Centre was sharing intelligence inputs and would act accordingly. To the question raised by K Yerrannaidu (TDP) and Brahma Nand Mandal (Samata Party) about madrasas being financed by a Karachi-based trust, the minister said the government had no information.

Bureau Report