'Concern For Internal Security': Giriraj Singh's Swipe At Nitish Over 'Illegal' Madarsas, Mosques In Bihar

'Great Concern For Internal Security': Giriraj Singh's Swipe At Nitish Over 'Illegal' Madarsas, Mosques In Bihar

Union Minister Giriraj Singh said on Friday that there is a flood of illegal mosques and madarsas in Bihar, which share borders with Bangladesh and Nepal, and he called it a cause of great concern considering the country's internal security. Singh took a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and said that he should focus on closing illegal madarsas and ensuring science education in legal madarsas rather than votes.

"There is a flood of illegal mosques and madarsas in Bihar which shares borders with Bangladesh and Nepal. This is a cause of great concern considering internal security of the country. These illegal madarsas should be closed and science education should be imparted in legal madarsas. Nitish Kumar should focus on these issues rather than just caring for votes," Giriraj Singh said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The BJP leader said that the current situation is a challenge to country's internal security because of the strong presence of Popular Front of India (PFI) across the state. "While the population of Muslims in the state is about 18 per cent, these areas have a higher concentration. Moreover, there is a strong presence of the banned PFI across the state. So the situation poses a grave challenge to the country's internal security," he said, as quoted by PTI.

"If things are left unchecked, in 20 years from now, the people of Bihar will face a major threat to their wealth and their faith (dharm aur dhan ko khatra ho sakta hai). And for a situation, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad would be solely responsible," he further stated.

'What Does Union Minister Mean By Illegal Madarsas': JDU Hits Back 

Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal United responded to Giriraj Singh's "illegal madarsas" remark and asked "What does the Union minister mean by illegal madarsas". JDU chief spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar said that the BJP leader should realise that madarsas had played an important role in the struggle for Independence.        

Speaking to reporters Neeraj Kumar said "What does the Union minister mean by illegal madarsas? He should realise that madarsas had played an important role in the struggle for Independence," as quoted by PTI.

The JD(U) leader also said "The Union minister is part of a government that is unfair towards not just madarsas but also Sanskrit Vidyalayas which had come up during the colonial rule to challenge Lord Macaulay's education system. The Narendra Modi government has scrapped the scholarships being awarded to students of both madarsas and Sanskrit Vidyalayas".

He added, "We, in Bihar, need not undertake a survey of madarsas on the lines of the Yogi Adityanath in adjoining Uttar Pradesh which gives fewer holidays than we do on festivals like Chhath and Dussehra. BJP leaders should also ask Yogi to recite Mohd Bodh, a revered scripture of the Nath sect to which he claims to belong. This would give the party and its leaders a better understanding of Islam and Muslims".