A major controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh after a complaint about an illegal religious conversion racket involving Hindu children studying in madrasas reached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The complaint claimed that around 556 Hindu children in 27 madrassas across MP are being targeted for conversion to Islam.
Taking note of the seriousness of the charges, the NHRC has asked the Principal Secretary of the state’s School Education Department to submit a reply within 15 days. It has also directed that an FIR be registered in the case.
According to the media reports, the complaint pointed out that these madrasas, located in areas such as Morena, Islampura and Jaura, were violating the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. The Commission, in its letter, has raised the question that madrasas are outside the purview of the Right to Education Act (RTE), yet why are Hindu children being admitted there. The complainant has also made serious allegations of illicit foreign funding and belonging to anti-national elements on these madrasas.
Talking on the issue, NHRC member Priyank Kanungo stated that madrasas cannot be equated to schools because they are mostly religious institutions and not institutions of formal education.
#WATCH | Delhi: Priyank Kanoongo, member of the National Human Rights Commission, says, "We received complaints about around 500 Hindu children enrolled in government-funded madrasas in Morena and Shivpuri, MP… The complainant alleges a conspiracy to convert Hindu children to… pic.twitter.com/3ogODrN8Kh
— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2025
He further said that Hindu kids in such madrasas were being taught the Quran, which is a very serious issue. Kanungo added that “this is a blatant violation of Article 283 of the Indian Constitution, and if this is happening with government funding, the state government must take action against these erring officials…”
