Amidst natural disasters, Uttarakhand BJP govt to bring anti-minority bills in monsoon session of assembly

Amidst natural disasters, Uttarakhand BJP govt to bring anti-minority bills in monsoon session of assembly

S.M.A. KAZMI

Dehradun, Aug 18

The state of Uttarakhand, during the current monsoon season is facing rain related natural disasters, worst after the 2013 Kedarnath disaster which crippled the life particularly in the hills with roads and bridges affected by landslides. The ‘Char Dham’ yatra the mainstay of Garhwal economy remain suspended due to fractured roads following continuous onslaught of heavy rains. The Tharali incident in Uttarkashi district where nearly a hundred persons perished in the deluge on August 5 destroying homes and hotels along with death and destruction in other parts of the state have alarmed the environmentalists and even the common man living the hills about need for accountable and sustainable development. There have been demands from all stake holders in the Himalayas for a complete relook at the development strategy for the Himalayan states which off late are facing frequent natural disasters

In the present backdrop, the monsoon session of the Uttarakhand state assembly is going to start from August 19, 2025 at summer capital of Gairsain in Chamoli disttrict. Interestingly, the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who is playing as a hard ‘Hindutva’ young icon of the ‘Sangh Parivaar’ has again resorted to his time- tested anti-Muslim rhetoric. The state government propose to bring two bills in the monsoon session namely- Uttarakhand Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, and Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025 with stricter provisions. The state cabinet passed these bills at a meeting few days ago.

As per the provisions of the Uttarakhand Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, The Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016 and the Uttarakhand Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules, 2019, will stand repealed from July 1, 2026. In the past few months, Uttarakhand BJP government had started a tirade against Muslim ‘Madrassas’ (religious schools) closing and sealing many of these minority institutes. There are more than 450 ‘Madrassas’ in the state mainly in Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Dehradun district having a sizeable Muslim population.

On the face of it and as per the claims of the state government, thee proposed law eeks to extend the benefits of Minority Educational Institutions status to the minority communities other than Muslims, like Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis too. The new law proposes establishment of an Authority namely “Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education” to grant the status of minority educational institutions.   It includes Mandatory Recognition – Any educational institution established by Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, or Parsi communities must obtain recognition from the Authority to qualify as a minority educational institution.

The minority educational institutions must be registered under the Societies Act, Trust Act, or Companies Act to get recognition. Recognition can be withdrawn in cases of financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, or activities against religious and social harmony. Ownership of land, bank accounts, and other assets must be in the name of the institution.

As per state government, the proposed Authority will ensure that education is imparted in accordance with the standards set by the Board of School Education, Uttarakhand, and that student evaluations remain fair and transparent. The law introduces significant changes for minority community institutions in the state by establishing a transparent process for their recognition. The officials claim that the law would ensure the quality of education while protecting the constitutional rights of minorities. Additionally, the state government gains the authority to monitor the functioning of these institutions and issue necessary directives as needed. The law would permit the study of Gurmukhi and Pali also in recognised minority educational institutions. Chief Ministter Pushkar Singh Dhami claimed that it was a progressive law -as a first in the country that would bring transparency and equality.

But the Muslim community which is bearing the burnt of the present BJP government in the shape of ‘Love Jehad’, ‘Land Jehad’, ‘Mazar Jehad’ and ‘Thook Jehad’ and are being targeted throughout the state, have termed it as another attempt by state BJP government to target Muslims to polarise and appease the majority upper caste Hindu population of the state.

Hafiz Shanazar, a spokesperson of the Jamait-e-Ulema-e-Hind claimed that it was another attempt to target Muslims and their educational Institutions. “ We are waiting to know the full details of the Bill which would be presented in state assembly and then we would react,” he added.

The law proposes that the proposed Authority will ensure that education is imparted in accordance with the standards set by the Board of School Education, Uttarakhand. “This means that minorities would not be able to impart religious education in their Madrassas and had to follow Utttarakhand Education Board curriculum. Majority of the Madrassas are already adhering to the Uttarakhand Education Board curriculum besides religious education,” said Hafiz Shahnazar.

The Muslims form the biggest minority group in the state with 13.95 per cent population as per state government data followed by Sikhs with 2.34 per cent population as per 2011 census. The Christians are 0.37 percent, Buddhists – 0.15 per cent and Jains-0.09 percent of the total population.

Suryakant Dhasmana, Senior Vice-President and organisational Secretary of Uttarakhand Congress party alleged that these are attempts by BJP to polarise the society. “ After facing defeat in the recent Panchayat polls, the BJP has again embarked on its’ strategy to target minorities particularly Muslims. Instead of coming up with a comprehensive strategy to deal with ongoing natural disaster, the state BJP government has tried to deflect the attention of the people,” he charged.

He further said that most of the Christian, Sikh and Muslim educational institutions are operating in Uttarakhand for past more than a century with distinction and as per prevalent law and statute.

“ I wonder how Chief Minister would force all the minority educational institutions to follow Uttarakhand School Board curriculum as some schools follow CBSE and other ICSE patterns,” he added.

The second bill namely Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025, propose to make state’s existing anti-conversion law more stringent, which allows jail sentences ranging from three years to a life term for persons found guilty of “forced conversions”. Previously, the maximum jail term for a “forced conversion” was 10 years. These provisions are not there in any of the BJP ruled states which had enacted anti-conversion laws, not even in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh ruled by Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu hardliner.

The Freedom of Religion Act in Uttarakhand was introduced in 2018 and the Act was first amended in 2022. Attempts to convert a person into another religion with the lure of jobs, money, or other “gifts” would be considered a forced conversion. “Promises of a better life, or free education in a school or college maintained by a religious institution prior to religious conversion will attract a punishment of three to 10 years. Mass conversions, and conversion activity with foreign funding will attract punishment from seven to 14 years. Persons found guilty of the forcible conversion of a woman, child, an individual belonging to a SC (Scheduled Caste)/ ST (Schedule Tribe) community, or a person with disability can get a jail term of five to 14 years.”

The Bill defines “allurement” as “any gift, gratification, easy money or material benefit, whether in cash or kind, employment, or by invoking divine displeasure”. Human trafficking, and threat to life attract jail terms from 20 years to life under the 2025 Bill.

The accused can be booked for “false promises of marriage”. Hiding one’s religion with the intention of marriage could attract imprisonment from three to 10 years, and a fine of ₹3 lakh. “Speaking ill of one religion and praising another, and propaganda on social or digital media would also be considered participation in religious conversion.”

The amended Bill authorises District Magistrates to confiscate properties “acquired from a crime related to religious conversion”. Claims to legitimate ownership would have to be proved. The accused persons may be arrested without a warrant, according to the 2025 Bill, and bail granted only if the court were convinced that the accused was not guilty, and would not commit such crime again