Plan to get madrasa inaugurated by Joshi draws ire from Muslims

KANPUR: The plan to get an upgraded madrasa inaugurated by BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi has drawn ire from the Muslim community, who are demanding it to be cancelled.

“The Muslims are upset over the inauguration by Joshi. I will meet city’s Qazi soon to find a way out but so far there is no change in the plan,” madrasa principal Mohammad Mehraj said.

Al Jamiat-Ul-Nooria madrasa located in Shyam Nagar area of Joshi’s constituency is being upgraded and the construction is scheduled to be completed by January next year.

“A group of Muslims approached me to raise objections on the plan of inauguration by Joshi who they alleged was responsible for Babri incident and leaders of his party have said in past that madrasas are imparting education of terror,” Qazu Aalam Raza Noori said.

“I will meet the madrasa principal and ask him the reason for extending an invitation to Joshi. I believe a political person should not inaugurate it but I will take a decision after the meeting,” he added.

The madrasa principal had approached local BJP leaders expressing his desire to get the madrasa inaugurated by Joshi saying the move will help in ‘bridging the gap between Muslims and BJP’.

A controversy had broken out earlier with the local BJP leaders receiving reports that the madrasa has already been inaugurated.

However, after it could be ascertained that the reports were false, Joshi had accepted the invitation to inaugurate it during his visit to the city in January.

A CONTROVERSY HAD BROKEN OUT EARLIER WITH THE LOCAL BJP LEADERS RECEIVING REPORTS THAT THE MADRASA HAS ALREADY BEEN INAUGURATED