14 ‘unregistered’ madrassas sealed in Uttarakhand, 150 students in limbo

Dehradun: Fourteen "unregistered" madrassas in Dehradun district have been sealed by the Uttarakhand madrassa board, leaving at least 150 students—mostly from economically weaker sections—without a place to study. The action was part of an ongoing crackdown on "illegal madrassas" in the state, following directives from chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Last month, authorities identified over 200 madrassas operating without registration, with Udham Singh Nagar recording the highest number at 129, followed by 57 in Dehradun and 26 in Nainital.
Several Muslim organisations have opposed the move, alleging that the community is being unfairly targeted and that the closures happened without due process. Naeem Qureshi, president of Muslim Sewa Sangathan, said, "The way the administration sealed the madrassas without giving any prior notice or allowing those managing them to present their case makes it seem like an act of goons rather than the authorities. We are not against taking action against unregistered madrassas, but at least due process should have been followed."
However, Dehradun district magistrate Savin Bansal denied the allegations, asserting that authorities followed all legal provisions. "Anyone with complaints against the action has the opportunity to appeal before the appellant bodies, as this is not a permanent measure," he added.
Meanwhile, parents have lamented the action by the board and expressed uncertainty about the future of their children. A junk dealer, whose two children aged six and eight studied at a local madrassa in Dehradun's Vikasnagar, told TOI, "We cannot afford to send our children to costly public schools, and the govt school in the area is far away. We sent them to the madrassa thinking they would at least learn something beyond religious texts. But now we don't know what to do."
Another parent, whose 11-year-old was affected, criticised the administration for not providing an alternative. "We understand they are taking action against unregistered madrassas, but they should have considered the consequences for the children. Now that madrassa education is gone too, we fear the children might go astray," he said.