Uproar over U.P. Deputy CM comment on Madrasas, aimed to fuel communal polarisation, says Congress
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya sparked controversy by labeling madrasa education as a breeding ground for terrorism. Opposition parties and the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind have condemned the remarks as a deliberate attempt to incite communal polarization ahead of upcoming elections.
Why it matters
The rhetoric highlights the intensifying communal tensions in Indian politics and the use of religious discourse as a tool for electoral mobilization.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s statement over Madrasas led to an uproar in Uttar Pradesh, with opposition parties calling it aimed at fuelling communal polarisation. Prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind also condemned the remarks on madrasas, calling them provocative, prejudiced and a deliberate attempt to undermine social harmony. Speaking to reporters in Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday (August 4, 2026), the Deputy CM said, “Those who receive a madrasa education neither chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ nor sing ‘Vande Mataram’; instead, they develop a terrorist-like mindset. Whether a madrasa is in Bangladesh, Pakistan, or India, it unofficially breeds terrorism,” he said.
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