Samajwadi Party leader Maviya Ali said madrasas should not celebrate Independence Day as asked by the UP government.

Samajwadi Party leader Maviya Ali has just added fuel to the already raging debate over Uttar Pradesh government's controversial circular asking madrasas across the state to celebrate Independence Day record video of the event.

Maviya Ali, who lost Assembly election from Deoband against BJP's Brijesh Singh, said the UP government's notice regarding holding celebrations on August 15 in madrasas was anti-Islamic.

"We are not ready to abide by the instructions given by the UP government. I want to reinstate that we are Muslims first and Indians next. If any situation leads to a rift with Islam then, we will not stand by the constitution. We would stand by Islam," Maviya Ali said.

Ali is not new to controversies. In 2015, he had said that there was no harm if VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi was killed. Ali's remark was in response to Sadhvi Prachi's equally poisonous statement on Dadri lynching. Prachi had said 'that beef-eaters deserve such fate.'

UP GOVERNMENT'S CONTROVERSIAL ORDER

The Uttar Pradesh government has directed all madrasas in the state to hold celebrations on Independence Day and videograph the event, UP Minority Welfare Minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary had said last week.

Chaudhary's junior Baldev Aulakh even warned of action against madrassas which do not follow the order.

Aulakh, who is Minister of State for minority welfare, said, "We have asked for videography of all programmes. We can check at random as to which madrassa has celebrated it or not".

"If any madrassa does not celebrate it, action will be taken against it," he said, without elaborating.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahli, however, questioned the need for the directive and whether it was only for madrasas or for all schools.

"If it is only in madrassas, does it mean that our patriotism is being suspected?" he said.

The event to be held on August 15 should include hoisting the tri-colour, singing the national anthem and paying tributes to freedom fighters, an official circular said.

MINISTER DEFENDS ORDER

Defending the move, Chaudhary said that the celebration will inspire students and they will learn more about the contribution of the freedom fighters.

He said the children can treasure the memories of the Independence Day celebrations through the photographs and videos which will also act as a source of inspiration for others.

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