Agartala: Tafajjal Hossain, the lone Muslim MLA of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Tripura, on Tuesday called upon members of the Muslim community to prioritise modern education over religious studies to ensure overall socio-economic progress.
Speaking at the inauguration of a minority welfare scheme, Hossain said that inadequate access to modern education has long been a major obstacle to the development of the community. He emphasised that a lack of proper educational opportunities often leaves people vulnerable to exploitation and limits their ability to progress in society.
“Lack of proper education is one of the main reasons behind our stunted socio-economic growth. Many of our children do not enrol in the government’s modern education system. Instead, influenced by religious clerics, families often send their children to madrasas to become Imams or Moulanas,” Hossain said.
The MLA noted that while religious scholars play an important role in guiding the community, their responsibilities are limited to specific religious duties. In contrast, modern education, he said, opens the door to wider opportunities and enables individuals to contribute more effectively to society and the nation.
“An Imam or Moulana has defined religious responsibilities. However, when a child completes higher education such as a BA or MA, he or she can serve society in many different ways and contribute to nation building,” Hossain said.
He urged parents to encourage their children to pursue higher education in schools and institutions recognised by the government so that they can access broader career prospects and play a greater role in the country’s development.
Highlighting the importance of national identity, Hossain said the nation must always come first. “The country should be held at the highest regard. After that comes society and then the individual. We must embrace this mindset and move forward together. Above all, we should be proud of our primary identity as Indians,” he added.
