If madrassa used for anti-India activities, we will raze them: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said if the government gets input on madrassas being used for anti-India activities, such institutions will be razed. This comes after a madrassa in Bongaigaon district, allegedly used for carrying out 'jihadi' activities, was demolished by authorities on Wednesday for violation of building norms.

"We don't have any intention to go on demolishing Madrassas. Only intention to see that they're not used by jihadi elements," Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

"If we get specific inputs that institution is being used under the guise of madrassa for anti-India activities, we will raze them," he added.

The madrassa in Bongaigaon was demolished over links to the terrorist organisation al-Qaeda. A total of five people were earlier arrested for links to al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and the Ansarul Bangla Team.

This was the second such action as a madrassa in Barpeta district, which had allegedly sheltered two Bangladeshi operatives of Ansarul Bangla Team for four years, was demolished on Monday.

One of the alleged Bangladeshi terror operatives, the principal, a teacher and another person associated with the madrassa were also arrested by the Barpeta police.

The police officer from Bongaigaon said the Kabaitari Ma Arif madrassa was being demolished, following the recovery of incriminating documents related to ‘jihadi’ elements from its canteen during an operation by the Goalpara police on Tuesday night.

The Goalpara police arrested a teacher of the madrassa last week and the raid was carried out based on input provided by him.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had recently said that the state was becoming a “hotbed of jihadi activities” with about five modules having links with al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and ABT busted in the last few months.

More than 40 people with suspected links with the ‘jihadi’ activities, including Bangladeshis, have been arrested in the state since March this year.