Dehradun, Sept. 7 -- As many as 20 madrasas have been shut or sealed after being found "illegal" or failing to meet requirements since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttarakhand government abolished the state Madrasa Board in July.

While the government has replaced the board with another authority for minority institutions, it has initiated a campaign to "put a lock" on "illegal madrasas" across the state.

Authorities most recently shut down or sealed five madrasas in Dehradun and Haldwani, with Minority Affairs Secretary Dr Parag Madhukar Dhakate asserting that the state will continue action against such educational institutes. Of the 20 madrasas, 17 were sealed, while the other three madrasas' managements submitted a written und...