The state government, headed by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is considering regulating almost 1,000 private madrasas that are operating in Assam. As a result of their alleged ties to international terrorist organisations including Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and the Bangladesh-based Ansarullah Bangla Team, 11 people were recently detained in the districts of Morigaon, Barpeta, Guwahati, and Goalpara (ABT).

On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, Mustafa alias Mufti Mustafa, the network’s mastermind, was arrested along with other individuals. In the Saharia Gaon village of Morigaon, he worked as a teacher at the Saruchala Al-Jamiatus Salihat Madarasatul Banat. Although there is no official count of them, a study by India Today Northeast claims that there are at least 1,000 private madrasas functioning in Assam, up from 788 in 2016. There are incorrect government documents indicating these madrasas’ affiliation. The decision to convert government-funded madrasas into traditional schools has already been decided by the state government.

Ranoj Pegu, the education minister for Assam, stated, “We are gathering information and determining whether we can impose regulations on private madrasas and provide guidance for the delivery of contemporary education there. We’re getting legal advice. There is no board that I am aware of that oversees these private madrasas. We lack particular information on these madrasas. The director general of the Assam Police, Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, said that the agency had full knowledge and had surveyed these madrasas. But the cop kept the details to himself.

Ranoj Pegu who is the education minister of Assam said, “We are collecting reports and examining if we can enforce certain rules in the private madrasas and give direction to impart modern education there. We are taking legal opinion. I am not aware of any board which is running these private madrasas. We don’t have any specific data on these madrasas.” Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, the director general of the Assam Police, asserted that the police had conducted a survey of these madrasas and had full information. Nonetheless, the officer withheld the specifics.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma too stated that a few more madrasas will be investigated by the police. According to a report by The Sentinel, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “We have already sealed two madrasas for their jihadi link. The government has the policy to seal madrasas if it gets any concrete complaints regarding their jihadi link. The authorities will admit the students of the sealed madrasas in nearby general schools.We have no government madrasas in the state. We have already closed down 750 government madrasas. Only privately run madrasas are operational. However, if we get any concrete information on their link with fundamentalists, we will not have any second thought to take action against them.”

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