By Team Clarion

SHRAVASTI – The Uttar Pradesh government has intensified its campaign against alleged illegal madrasas, particularly those claimed to be built on government land. In a fresh wave of action, Bulldozers raze madrasas in Shravasti and Maharajganj districts in a repeat of similar recent operations in the border districts of the state.

According to officials, this action is part of a wider drive to reclaim public land and enforce land laws. However, the selective targeting of madrasas has sparked concerns.

A madrasa operating for nearly 57 years in Semrahni village, Farenda tehsil, Maharajganj district, was demolished on Wednesday. The institution, which was built on plot number 278 — recorded as a “manure pit” in official records — was allegedly constructed without legal authorisation.

The local administration, following a court order under the Forest Act Section 67, carried out the demolition. A sizeable contingent of police and revenue officers was present to maintain order during the operation. Officials claimed the madrasa, due to its location on government land, violated land use norms.

Similarly, in Shravasti’s Bhinga tehsil, a madrasa named Darul Quran was demolished in Karim Purva village of Rampur Jabdi. Officials stated that the institution was built without permission on public land.

“A prior notice was served to the madrasa management,” said a district official. “We are following due process. Any construction on government land without valid documents will face action.”

Multiple alleged illegal madrasas have previously been brought down in the Shravasti district under the same policy.

These incidents are part of a broader crackdown across seven districts — Shravasti, Bahraich, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, Maharajganj, Pilibhit, and Lakhimpur Kheri — all located along the Indo-Nepal border. In total, authorities have acted against more than 350 religious structures, including mosques, madrasas, dargahs, and Idgahs.

This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.