Muslim man sets up school for locals in MP; authorities demolish it after ‘Madrasa’ rumours

Abdul Naeem’s dream of building a school for his village in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district turned into a nightmare. He invested nearly Rs 20 lakh of his own money to construct a school for children from nursery to Class 8, but it was partially demolished by authorities after rumors spread that it was an unauthorized madrasa. The trouble began when rumors started circulating that Naeem was building a madrasa, despite the fact that the village has only three Muslim families and no religious activities were taking place at the site.

The Gram Panchayat issued a notice ordering Naeem to demolish the structure, citing lack of permission. Naeem claimed he had obtained the necessary permissions, including a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the panchayat, and had applied for school approval.

On January 13, authorities arrived with a JCB machine and razed part of the building and the front shed, despite villagers protesting and seeking clarity from the district collector. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Ajit Maravi, defended the action, stating that the construction was illegal and fell under encroachment.

The demolition has sparked criticism, with many questioning the authorities’ actions and alleging that the rumors were baseless and targeted at a Muslim-run institution.