With the Uttar Pradesh government set to hold a survey of private madrassas, proprietors of the theological schools fear that their institutions may be declared illegal and “run over by bulldozers”. Sources said they expressed the fear at a meeting of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, one of the leading organisations of Islamic scholars belonging to the Deobandi school of thought, on September 6 in New Delhi.

The Muslim body’s president Maulana Arshad Madani told PTI, “Nobody has any objection if the government wants to conduct a survey of private madrassas, but care should be taken so that it doesn’t interfere in their internal matters.” The sources said it was decided at the meeting to hold a meeting on September 24 in Darul Ulum Deoband to chalk out the future course of action.