Report By: Shivani Rawat, New Delhi
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP’s hidden agenda in Delhi on Monday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi charged the BJP-led government of trying to close down madrasas in the country. Delivering the valedictory address at the International Urdu Conference held at Vigyan Bhavan from Feb 8 to 11, Sonia said, “Under the pretext of modernising them and internal security concerns, there will inevitably be an attempt to subvert the noble tradition of madrasas. Of course, many far-sighted people involved with madrasa education recognise the need for giving religious teaching a scientific and technological foundation.”
While those involved with madrasa education recognise the need for moving with the times, former external affairs minister Salman Khursheed, one of the organisers of the conference, said, “The government is welcome to formulate laws to check the mushrooming of illegal madrasas but it should do so after due consultations with those involved in madrasa education.” Stressing that Urdu should not be associated with any particular community, Sonia said, “The self-styled cultural police does not recognise that the relegation of teaching and learning of Urdu to madrsas is because there is no school curriculum.” Denouncing the communal forces for trying to label Urdu as a foreign language, Sonia reminded the audience that Urdu was born in Delhi.
Targetting the Ministry of Human Resources development for its attempts to rewrite history, Sonia said, “The ministry has turned into a workshop for fabricating and putting into practice an agenda that will undermine the secular character and composite culture of our country.” Sonia said that following the 93rd Constitution amendment, the right to be educated in one’s mother tongue should be sought as a fundamental right. She said that the most significant need is to promote Urdu in school curricula and that the Congress party is committed to the revival of the language.