Mumbai North’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Gopal Shetty has reportedly written to the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) asking them to ‘regularise’ an unauthorised madrasa in Kandivali’s Govardhan Nagar. The matter was brought to light by Legal Rights Observatory, which has rightly raised concerns about leaders like Shetty sheltering illegal constructions when action is being initiated against such madrasas across Bharat.
It has come to light that the Secular Welfare Society has constructed the Madrasa Islamiya Kadariya illegally in Kandivali and was served notice regarding the same last year. The North Mumbai MP has written to BMC to stall the demolition and shockingly asked for the structure to be regularised.

Shetty’s letter dated 4 February states that Secular Welfare Society Madrasa’s authorisation remains suspended. The letter further cites certain documents submitted by the society as ‘evidence’ of its ownership and ‘legality.’ The letter addressed to the Upzilla officer asks him to look into the matter personally and assist the Secular Welfare Society in regularising the Madrasa.

The BMC had issued a show-cause notice to the Trustees last June highlighting the violations. The notice was issued when the construction had just commenced. That the Trustees continued the construction and even erected the illegal madrasa indicates how Islamists disregard the law of the land. Politicians like Shetty backing lawbreakers is appalling, to say the least. Moreover, using one’s constitutional post to pressure municipal authorities to regularise an illegal structure is unacceptable.
It has repeatedly come to light that madrasas not only radicalize Muslim youth but also harbour anti-national elements and shelter them. The national security threat posed by such illegal madrasas cannot and should not be overlooked.
(Featured Image Source: ProKerala)