Azam Khan stokes controversy, says madrasas do not breed nature like that of Nathuram Godse or Sadhvi Pragya

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan has stoked a controversy by saying that "madrasas do not breed a nature like that of Nathuram Godse or a personality like Pragya Singh Thakur."

Godse had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi while Pragya Singh Thakur, current BJP MP from Bhopal, is an accused in Malegaon blast.

On being asked to respond on Centre's decision to connect madrasas to mainstream education, Khan said, "Madrasas don't breed a nature like that of Nathuram Godse or a personality like Pragya Thakur. See that first, announce that those propagating thoughts of Nathuram Godse will be declared enemies of democracy, those convicted for terror activities won't be rewarded."

Khan, who is known for giving such controversial statements, said that if the central government wants to help madrasas then they should improve their standard.

"Religious teachings are imparted at madrasas. At the very same madrasas, English, Hindi and Maths are taught. This has always been done. If you want to help, improve their standard. Build buildings for madrasas, provide them furniture and midday meal facility," Khan, SP MP from Rampur said on Tuesday.

While the SP leader turned out to be critical over Centre's decision that Madrasas across India will be connected with mainstream education for the betterment of children studying in the Islamic seminaries, on the other hand, Muslim clerics have hailed it.

Naqvi on Tuesday announced, "Madrasas are in large number across the country. They will be connected with the formal education and mainstream education so that those children studying there can also contribute in the development of the society."

"Madrasa teachers across the country will be given training from various institutions in mainstream subjects such as Hindi, English, Maths, Science, Computer etc. so that they can impart mainstream education to the Madrasa students. This programme will be launched next month," Naqvi wrote on Twitter.

Modernisation of Madrasas is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan that he laid out in run-up to Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

"Hold Quran in one hand and computer in other," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said.

"To ensure socio-economic-educational empowerment of minorities especially girls through '3Es- Education, Employment and Empowerment,' various scholarships including pre-matric, post-matric, merit-cum-means etc will be provided to five crore students in next five years," the union minister informed.

Free-coaching for central and state administrative services, banking services, staff selection commission, railways and other various competitive services will be provided to economically weak Minority- Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi youths, Naqvi added.

-ANI