In a disturbing turn of events in Junagadh, Gujarat, a 25-year-old Cleric at a local Madrasa has been arrested on allegations of sexually abusing at least 10 of his underage students, as confirmed by the local police. This appalling case has also led to the apprehension of a 55-year-old trustee of the madrasa, accused of failing to address student complaints about the Maulana’s actions. The Junagadh district police released a statement about these arrests on Monday.
The harrowing incident came to light when a daily wage earner from Gomtipur sent his 13-year-old child to the Madani Madarsa in Bapunagar for religious studies during the summer vacation, which began on May 29, 2022. Shockingly, on May 30, the parents were devastated when their child returned home and recounted a distressing experience involving two clerics at the madarsa. According to the child, he not only endured an inhuman act but was also physically assaulted. The visible signs of abuse, including marks from beatings and injuries in the anal area, prompted the child's parents to rush him to Shardaben Hospital for immediate medical treatment.
Similarly, in Ahmedabad's Bapunagar district, allegations of sexual harassment against a 13-year-old boy have emerged, involving two religious clerics at Madani Madarsa. The victim is currently undergoing medical treatment and law enforcement authorities have initiated an investigation under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to the victim's father, their 13-year-old son, the eldest of six siblings, was sent to Madina Madrasa in Sundaram Nagar, Bapunagar, on May 29, 2022, as per Islamic customs. On the evening of May 29, everything seemed normal at the madarsa until around 10 pm, when the chief cleric and another cleric subjected the child to harm. The chief cleric inexplicably struck the child's right ankle seven times with a wooden stick, and the other cleric administered an injection to the child's shoulder, rendering him unconscious within five minutes.
Upon regaining consciousness after 30-35 minutes, the boy experienced severe pain in his anus, prompting him to escape from the madarsa. Three individuals from the institution pursued him, but he managed to seek refuge in a nearby hotel near Rajendra Park. From there, he secured a motorcycle ride that brought him back home.
The victim's father filed a complaint with the Bapunagar police, accusing the chief maulvi and another cleric of committing an unnatural sexual act with his son after the physical assault. The father added that his son, though unable to recall the name of the other cleric, could identify him through a photograph.
In another shocking revelation, a student at a residential school located on the Mangrol-Veraval bypass in Junagadh used a maulana's mobile phone to contact his mother a few days ago and expressed concerns about a teacher's inappropriate sexual behavior towards students. As a result, the concerned mother promptly reported the matter to the police, alleging that the madrasa teacher was involved in sodomizing and sexually assaulting students residing and studying at the school.
Upon their arrival on October 21, the police, with the assistance of certain Muslim leaders, established a rapport with the students. Subsequently, ten boys studying at the madrasa came forward, disclosing that they had been subjected to alleged "sodomy" by the accused teacher, who had also threatened them with harm if they reported the incidents to their parents or outsiders.
Moreover, the investigation revealed that when the students sought assistance from the madrasa's trustee to protect themselves from the teacher, no action was taken. As the trustee realized that legal action would be taken against the teacher, he allegedly aided the teacher in fleeing from the premises, as per the police.
In response to a complaint filed by a 17-year-old boy, the Mangrol police took action by registering an FIR on Sunday. The two accused individuals now face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 377 (unnatural intercourse), Section 323 (assault), Section 506-2 (criminal intimidation), and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
These are some cases that were actually reported. There are over 25,000 Madrasas in India and many probably thousands more exist under the radar. While it is constitutional to teach religious teachings, it shouldn’t come at the cost of national security.
There are two things in life:
What we want to believe in
What the actual reality is
We want to believe in the fact that terrorism doesn’t have a religion.
The fact is that it does. Not all terrorists are from one religion. But a majority of them are and they have orchestrated some of the deadliest attacks in world history across the globe.
Islam won’t be finished if it accepts that it has failed to limit radicalisation in its society but it certainly will be wiped off the face of the Earth if it continues to turn a blind eye to the crimes being committed in its name by its followers.
The first step to containing terrorism would be to regulate what is being taught to the Muslim youth. Multiple studies have shown that the syllabus being followed in a majority of the Madrasas is not just old but medieval.
There is rampant radicalisation in the classrooms and the young children are taught to cast doubt at every move of the government. This country is theirs as well and the betterment of this country is also an equal responsibility of the Muslim youth.
A young pass out of the Madarsa can’t hope to compete with the youth who has studied at a regular institute of education in any field of occupation. In the end, he will end up opening a Madrasa himself. The hate for modern day sciences and political studies is the primary reason for the lack of job opportunities for the Muslim youth.
Being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in the country. They literally shape the future of the country. And in that case, if a madrasa teacher is some untrained Chacha from across the street, then how can we expect any development in the Muslim households?
The recent sexual assaults of young minors is proof enough of just how degraded the Madrasa system has become.
Any calls for change in this system are met with cries of ‘Minority targeting’ from selfish Muslim leaders who care about nothing other than their political status and would go to any lengths in order to ensure its survival.
In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “The Government of India is leaving no stone unturned in empowering the Muslim youth. We want them to have the Quran in one hand and a computer in the other.”
This is what the whole country wants for the Muslim youth. It is high time that Muslims stop seeing change with eyes of apprehension and let the winds of development flow through their households as well.
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