Lucknow: Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey, on Tuesday accused the BJP government of curtailing the constitutional rights of madrasas and other minority institutions. Speaking during the budget discussion in the state Assembly, the Samajwadi Party leader alleged that while the government has the authority to take action against religious conversions, it cannot restrict minority institutions from functioning if they are not causing any law and order issues.
“Under the Constitution, minorities have been granted the right to establish and govern educational institutions. But what is happening now? Madrasas are being told they cannot operate in villages. The government conducts inquiries and then decides whether to allow them to function. Is this constitutional?” Pandey questioned, directing his remarks toward Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
He emphasized that the rights given to minorities were established by the founders of the Constitution, including B. R. Ambedkar and the Constituent Assembly. “The Constitution grants every citizen the freedom to follow their religion and engage in religious activities. I just want to ask—how much of this freedom is truly being upheld?” he said.
Pandey further alleged that the BJP government has developed a mindset of scrutinizing temples and mosques everywhere. He argued that if a village’s Hindu and Muslim residents jointly declare that they have no objections, then the constitutional rights of religious institutions should not be infringed upon. “If a law and order issue arises, action should be taken. But why impose restrictions when there is no problem?” he asked.
During the same discussion, Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra criticized the state government’s financial management, claiming that Uttar Pradesh is now under its biggest-ever debt burden. She alleged that farmers had been deceived in the budget, pointing out that only 55 percent of the previous year’s budget had been utilized.
Meanwhile, the Assembly session was briefly disrupted by an unusual incident. Speaker Satish Mahana expressed his displeasure after learning that a member had spit ‘paan masala’ inside the House. He personally reviewed CCTV footage to identify the individual and warned all legislators against such conduct. “The Assembly is a place of dignity, and all members should remember that they represent the people of the state,” he said, urging lawmakers to ensure such behavior is not repeated in the future.