State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam, Bhabesh Kalita on Wednesday said that people should move towards modern education and hence Madrasas in the state should be closed down.

Lending his opinion to the controversy stoked up by Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Madrasas and religious teachings, Kalita said that the teachings in Madrasas are religious and these need to be changed to scientific or general education.

He said, “There is no science or math in Madrasas.”

The BJP state president also said that the world is moving at fast pace and old teaching methods have to be left behind. He said that people have to continue with modern methods which are based on science.

It may be noted that Assam CM Sarma had said earlier that only religious teachings went on in Madrasas and that such teachings should be done at one’s home.

CM Sarma was addressing a gathering at an event in Delhi where he stated that children will not be able to think about becoming doctors or engineers till the word ‘madrasas’ exist.

He had said, “If you tell them that they will not become doctors or engineers if they study in madrasas, they themselves will refuse to go. Teach the Quran to your children, but at home. Admitting children in madrasas is a violation of their human rights.”