New Delhi, Sep 30 (NationPress) Member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Priyank Kanoongo, revealed on Tuesday that the Commission has received a complaint alleging that Hindu children in the Morena-Shivpuri area of Madhya Pradesh are being enrolled in madrasas and instructed in the Quran. The NHRC has acknowledged this issue and has sent a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government.

In an interview with IANS, Kanoongo stated, “We have received a complaint from Madhya Pradesh indicating that in the Morena-Shivpuri region, Hindu children are being admitted to madrasas for Quranic education. The complainant raised concerns that this may lead to the conversion of Hindu children to Islam. The situation is alarming, with reports suggesting that over five children have already been enrolled in these institutions.”

Kanoongo pointed out that madrasas are not recognized as formal educational establishments under current Indian laws, and thus should not be enrolling children, particularly for religious education.

“Our initial assessment is that enrolling Hindu children in madrasas is inappropriate. Under Article 21-A of the Constitution, it is the state's responsibility to provide formal education through recognized schools. Madrasas do not fit this definition and are outside the scope of the Right to Education Act,” he remarked.

He added, “The operation of madrasas with government funding and the enrollment of Hindu children in them raises serious concerns and signifies a major administrative error.”

In response to these allegations, the NHRC has contacted the Principal Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh School Education Department, demanding a thorough investigation. The Commission has requested a comprehensive Action Taken Report (ATR) to be submitted within 15 days, with a copy to be emailed.

A complaint dated September 26 claims that a well-organized illegal conversion racket is allegedly functioning in several districts of Madhya Pradesh. It asserts that 556 Hindu children have been admitted to 27 unauthorized madrasas with the purported aim of converting them to Islam.

“The NHRC Bench, chaired by Priyank Kanoongo, has acknowledged this issue. The Registry is instructed to issue a notice to the Principal Secretary of the School Education Department in Madhya Pradesh to investigate these claims. Importantly, madrasas are not classified as schools under Article 21-A or the Right to Education Act. Hence, the rationale behind the admission of Hindu children into these institutions remains unclear,” the Commission stated in an official communication.