A mob who are the residents of Pakhiura Char in Assam’s Goalpara district Tuesday demolished a madrasa. The mob claimed that the madrasa was a hub of anti-national and ‘jihadi’ activities.
This is the fourth madrasa to be demolished in Assam in the last few weeks with the first three being pulled down by BJP government authorities.
“The residents of the area were agitated over the alleged anti-Indian and ‘jihadi’ activities involving the Darogar Alga Pakhiura Char Madrasa after Jalaluddin Sheikh, 49, a religious cleric associated with the madrasa was arrested on August 20 for his role in ‘jihadi’ activities,” Goalpara Superintendent of Police V V Rakesh Reddy said to Indian Express.
“The madrasa being demolished was a strong message from the public that they are against anti-national elements and they don’t want to be party to such activities,” said the the police officer who called the madrasas errorist sleeper cells.
The first one, Jamiul Huda Madrasa at Moirabari in Morigaon district, was demolished on 4 August by BJP government authorities. On 29 August, the authorities pulled down the Jamiul Huda Academy Madrasa at Howli in Barpeta district while on 31 August, the Markazul Ma-Arif Quariayana Madrasa at Bongaigaon district was demolished.
Last month, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had claimed that Assam had become a “hotbed of jihadi activities.”
