Assam assembly passes Bill to abolish state-run madrasas amid Opposition walkout

After Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma turned down the request of the Congress and the AIUDF members to send The Assam Repealing Bill, 2020 to a Select Committee to have a ''proper discussion'' on the issue, Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami placed the Bill for voice vote.

After witnessing a noisy scene, the Bill was passed with a majority. Members of all alliance partners of the BJP the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) -- supported the government move. The Bill proposes to abolish two existing acts -- The Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation) Act, 1995 and The Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation of Services of Employees and Re-Organisation of Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act, 2018.

''I feel this is going to be a gift to the minority community. The students studying in those madrasas will hail the decision after 10 years,'' Sarma said, replying to the opposition members' objections. As per the Bill, all madrasas will be converted to upper primary, high and higher secondary schools with effect from April 1 next year with no change of status, pay, allowances and service conditions of the teaching and non- teaching staff.