English Medium High Madrasa progresses with vigor

Sanskrit Education lost in ignominy   

The pro-minority politics makes a swift comeback in Bengal’s educational scenario with the inauguration of first English Medium High Madrasa at Paninala in Nadia. However, if concerned administrative officials are believed, its foundation stone was laid by Sri Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, then Chief Minister of Bengal, in 2010. But another stone was laid in 2013 by Sm. Mamata Banerjee, present Chief Minister and after long wait the school was formally inaugurated on June 23, 2014. People who graced the occasion included Sri Bani Kumar Roy – president of the District Council, Sri Tapas Pal – Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Nasiruddin Ahmed – Hon’ble MLA and others. It is to be noted, the school has a meager population of Hindu students also since they have no other option for education in the vicinity.

According to history, the madrasa education in Bengal initiated with the zeal to impart sacrosanct, Islamic education on Muslim students and with this end in view, Madrasah-i-Aliah founded by Warring Hastings (First Governor General of East India Company) in October of 1780 in Kolkata. Madrasa system earned strong support of British Raj and the condition remains unchanged even in the independent era due to the urge to win over Muslim population in the state. The saga was started by Left parties while Trinamool, despite its antagonism to the same Left, bank on it to enjoy a loyal minority vote bank.   

It has also come to knowledge, Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department had allotted a fund of Rs. 8 crores for this madrasa. As per plans, the educational curriculum will include up to Class XII apart from separate hostels for both boys and girls. Students will have to be residents here. Computer courses and modern laboratories do extol the educational environment. While speaking on the occasion, Tapas Pal, MP proposed to build up a similar English Medium High Madrasa at Karimpur. He was found to state that more such institutions should emerge in areas inhabited by Muslims.  

This simple avowal has also brought another grave injustice or disparity forth and it is to Sanskrit education in the state. The predominance of Sanskrit education, its culture in Bengal helped the region to earn great feats across the globe in preceding decades. With the Left antipathy to it, Sanskrit education reached ebb soon and now the situation is almost out of the frying pan into the fire. Thanks to the ignominy and governmental aversion, Bhatpara and Navadwip, predominant centers of Sanskrit education in the realm of Bengal, lost its worth and have gone to oblivion almost by now. The wretched condition of Sanskrit college in the metropolis of Kolkata, one of the oldest educational institutions in the Indian subcontinent and set up in 1824 to specialize in the scholarship of Indian tradition, philosophy and religion, is enough to project the dishonor being shown to Sanskrit education or highest level of Hindu genius. Lack of infrastructure and fund, resulting from administrative apathy, plague this noble institution most.  

Students are getting disinclined to Sanskrit education more and more as they remain unsure of whether this will enable them to make a good career. This rising hesitancy is resulting in other difficulties. Most of the seats remain vacant and now, it is getting impossible to have students to learn indigenous languages like Pali and Prakrit along with Sanskrit. Hindu genius is reviled thus and there is none to restore this great treasure of knowledge, considered by pundits in the West as one of the most astounding innovations in the history of mankind.

Hindu Samhati regularly monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. We also work with both governmental and NGO agencies for proper education on protection and ensure remedies to the Hindu populace as per prevailing law of the land.