– Zaina Aman
Bhavnagar, Gujarat – A school play on Independence Day has sparked strong criticism and concern.
On August 15, 2025, India marked its 79th Independence Day. At Kumbharwada School in Bhavnagar, a play showed young girls in burqas holding large guns and weapons. They enacted terrorist attacks before students, parents, and local residents. The act also included a song about Kashmir and an audio clip referring to the 2025 Pahalgam attack.
Observers say this reflects a troubling pattern of Islamophobic portrayals. A 2021 study in the Indian Journal of Political Science reported a 30% rise in sectarian incidents in Gujarat in the past decade.
Videos of the play spread online. Many raised questions about its message and its potential to demonise Muslims. Social activist Shahid Khan told Clarion India, “This is not a drama, this is poison.”
Critics said showing terrorists in burqas risks stigmatising an entire community. Community leaders and academics warned that schools are becoming platforms of hate, not harmony.
There are growing calls for accountability and cultural sensitivity in education. A UNESCO 2022 report stressed the role of curricula in reducing prejudice. Experts suggest this incident could lead to policy reform.
Authorities have announced an inquiry. Police have not yet made a statement. Muslim organisations in Gujarat said they will file complaints and demand accountability. They warned that such unchecked incidents could damage India’s communal fabric.
