The Uttarakhand Madrasa Board’s decision to include ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the official madrasa curriculum has stirred up both praise and criticism. This move, which aims to integrate religious education with a nationalist framework, has been met with mixed reactions from various quarters.
Board Chairman Mufti Shamoon Qasmi’s announcement of the inclusion of ‘Operation Sindoor’ comes after a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, where he commended the military strike on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Qasmi hailed the operation as an “epic” act that deserves recognition in classrooms, stating that it is a necessary lesson to teach students.
The decision to include ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the curriculum is part of a broader effort to mainstream madrasas and align them with national sentiment. Mufti Qasmi emphasized the importance of bringing madrasas into the mainstream, stating that this move is just the beginning of reshaping religious education along nationalistic lines.
This initiative falls under the Uttarakhand Madarsa Board Act, 2016, which gives the board authority over curriculum design and textbook approval. Previous proposals by Mufti Qasmi to introduce Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures in madrasas are still pending, but the integration of ‘Operation Sindoor’ marks the board’s first concrete step in this direction.
In addition to this curriculum change, the state government has been cracking down on unregistered madrasas. Over 180 madrasas have been sealed for operating without valid certification from the Madrasa Board or the education department, following Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s directive to strictly enforce recognition norms.
Critics of the decision have raised concerns about the potential politicization of religious education, while supporters view it as a progressive move towards national integration. The decision has sparked debates in political and educational circles, with Mufti Qasmi defending the move as a way to reverse historical trends that have distanced Muslims from India’s national identity.
As discussions continue, the inclusion of ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the madrasa curriculum will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for religious education in Uttarakhand.
