Now Reading: West Bengal police forms seek sensitive details from madrasas and mosques
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West Bengal police forms seek sensitive details from madrasas and mosques
West Bengal police forms seek sensitive details from madrasas and mosques
West Bengal police have circulated an unmarked 26-question form among madrasas, mosques, idgahs and mazars in several districts, seeking details of foreign funding, foreign visitors, exchange programmes and proximity to the international…
The Story in Brief
West Bengal police have circulated an unmarked 26-question form among madrasas, mosques, idgahs and mazars in several districts, seeking details of foreign funding, foreign visitors, exchange programmes and proximity to the international border. The forms also ask for GPS coordinates, registration details, photographs, staff and student numbers, legal disputes, criminal cases and political affiliations of staff, faculty or alumni.
The Hindu reports that the forms carry no notification, issuing authority, seal, memo number, date or stated legal provision. Religious institutions said police sometimes delivered them late at night and demanded quick submission. The Association for Protection of Civil Rights has sought clarity from the Chief Minister and Director General of Police. Birbhum’s superintendent said he had no knowledge of the exercise, while the Director General did not respond to calls.
The Indian Opinion
The easy narrative is that this is either routine policing or automatic communal profiling. Neither can be established from an unsigned form. Collecting foreign funding and border-related details may have a lawful purpose, but sensitive data needs a named authority, legal basis, safeguards and a clear retention policy. The immediate test is simple: will the police publish the order and explain why each of the 26 questions is necessary?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
