Madrasa curriculum in Uttarakhand to include ‘Operation Sindoor’

In a significant move to integrate religious education with a nationalist framework, the Uttarakhand Madrasa Board has announced the inclusion of "Operation Sindoor" — India’s recent military strike targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — into the official madrasa curriculum.

Board Chairman Mufti Shamoon Qasmi made the announcement on Tuesday following a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, during which he lauded the cross-border operation as an "epic" act deserving classroom recognition. “We met the Defence Minister and congratulated him and the Prime Minister. Pakistan is an evil country, and this operation was a necessary lesson,” Qasmi stated.

He further added that the inclusion aims to "mainstream" madrasas and align them with national sentiment. “To bring madrasas into the mainstream, we will include this operation in our curriculum,” he said.

The initiative falls under the purview of the Uttarakhand Madarsa Board Act, 2016, which grants the board authority over curriculum design and textbook approval. Mufti Qasmi has earlier proposed introducing Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures such as the Ramayan and Mahabharat in madrasas — though those plans are still pending execution. The integration of Operation Sindoor marks the board’s first concrete step toward reshaping religious education along nationalistic lines.

Simultaneously, the state government has accelerated its crackdown on unregistered madrasas. Following Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s directive in December 2024 to strictly enforce recognition norms, more than 180 madrasas have been sealed for operating without valid certification from either the Madrasa Board or the education department.

The drive gained traction after the Madrasa Board’s Recognition Committee met for the first time in nearly five years on February 27, just a day before the enforcement action began.

Mufti Qasmi did not hold back in his criticism of the Congress party, accusing it of having historically distanced Muslims from India's national identity. “Under CM Dhami’s leadership, we are committed to reversing that trend,” he asserted.

The decision has sparked discussion in political and educational circles. Supporters praise it as a progressive move for national integration, while critics warn it may further politicize religious education.