Wasim Rizvi clarifies over 'Madrasas produce terrorists' remark

Chairman of Shia Central Waqf Board Wasim Rizvi on Friday clarified stance over his statement that 'madrasas bred terrorists' and asserted that he in his comments did not intend to demean all madrasas.

Averring that he only spoke about few madrasas, Rizvi told ANI, "The mentality, power and network of a few radical Islamists have been exposed before the world in this letter. They distorted my statement and brought entire Muslim community against me. I was talking about some specific madrasas only."

Rizvi's clarification came a day after a legal notice was served to him by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind.

The notice, dated January 11, accuses Rizvi of "insinuating that Madrassa Education Systems have not contributed to the progress of young Muslims but has in fact created a sense of fundamentalism in them without any data to indicate."

On January 9, Rizvi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, claiming that Madrasas bred terrorists and efforts should be made to shift them into mainstream education.

"You have stated that Madrasas produce 'more terrorists than civil servants'. You have also stated in the letter that 'Our Madarsa education system has failed to produce doctors, engineers and civil servants but some Madrasas have certainly produced terrorists,'" the notice further read.

Speaking to ANI, Rizvi had also suggested that madrasas be converted to convent schools which offer an optional subject of Islamic education.