UP madrasas refuses to install PM Modi's portrait

Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Jan 8 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Madrasas on Monday refused to abide by the Uttarakhand government's order of installing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's portrait in all educational institutions saying it is "against Sharia".

Speaking to ANI, Chairman of Fatwa department of Darul Uloom, Mufti Arshad Farooqui said that the government must think before issuing such orders which affects the Sharia religion and sentiments.

"It is against Sharia. There had never been order to put photos of any Prime Minister ever, why now? The government must think before issuing orders which affects Sharia, religion and sentiments," he added.

On Sunday, clarifying his stance on the installation of Prime Minister Modi's portrait in madrasas, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that the move should not be objected to.

"He is the Prime Minister of the nation and madrasas are schools. Our books also include pictures of great personalities. So why should anybody have an objection to it?" asked Rawat.

The madarsas in the BJP-ruled State have refused to comply with the State government order, on religious grounds.

The order was issued to all the government-run educational institutions soon after the Independence Day last year, asking them to install a portrait of Prime Minister Modi inside their premises and take a pledge to implement his vision of building a new India by 2022. (ANI)