Crackdown on Illegal Madrassas in Uttarakhand: Funding Under Scrutiny

The Uttarakhand government is investigating funding sources of illegal madrassas after sealing over 100 in the state. Officials will check if funds were acquired through clandestine means such as hawala. The move comes after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered a crackdown on unregistered seminaries in the region.

The Uttarakhand government has launched a comprehensive investigation into the funding sources of illegal madrassas, following the sealing of more than 100 such seminaries across the state. Officials have been directed to scrutinize where the funds for these institutions originated and how they were utilized.

The move is part of a larger effort ordered by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has emphasized the urgency of the issue. With the Chief Minister's mandate, district magistrates are to report directly to his office regarding their findings. The investigation will specifically probe whether funds were acquired through illegal channels such as hawala.

In the recent government crackdown, 136 illegal madrassas have been shut down, with the majority located in Udham Singh Nagar and Dehradun. A significant number of unregistered madrassas continue to operate in districts adjoining Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the challenge authorities face in regulating educational institutions in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)