– Raheem Khan
Sangod, Kota, Feb. 25: On February 21, the Sarva Hindu Samaj submitted a memorandum to Education Minister through Sub-Divisional Officer, demanding a case to be registered against three Muslim teachers working in Government Higher Secondary School, Khajuri Odpur, accusing them of religious conversion and love jihad. Some people reached Mini Secretariat through the main road and demonstrated there.
Bajrang Dal state coordinator Yogesh Renwal and Maharaj Ramdas Laturi warned that if action is not taken, a protest will be held against such teachers by locking the school. A delegation of Sarva Hindu Samaj had also met Education Minister Madan Dilawar, who assured them of immediate action. The program of locking the school on Thursday was postponed for a few days. District Minister Banwari Gaur alleged that Islam was written in the religion column in the admission form of a Hindu girl student in the school in 2019. They said the student was later kidnapped by Muslim students, whose case is registered in Sangod police station.
The villagers allege that in the government school located in Khajuri Odpur, teachers teach children lessons on religions other than their own. Vishwa Hindu Parishad has also opened a movement against it.
The Principal of the school, Dr. Kamlesh Bairwa said, “The allegations being made against Muslim teachers of the school are baseless. In fact, during the Republic Day celebrations, students from all religions staged a drama. The Sarpanch and other distinguished citizens were present in this program. The staging of this drama was appreciated by everyone, hence the children also presented this drama in the annual function on January 31. Had there been any objectionable thing, the matter would have escalated at that very moment. Later, by making this an issue, some people are trying to tarnish the image of the school. If something is wrong, an impartial inquiry should be conducted and action be taken against the guilty teachers. The case of kidnapping of a girl was also in the headlines, even though the school administration had nothing to do with it.”
Education Minister Madan Dilawar said complaints were received about religious conversion in the school, changing the religion of a girl student and forcibly making students offer Namaz. Two teachers have been suspended in the case. Action is also being taken against a female teacher. Instructions have been issued to all three to be present at Bikaner headquarters.
On February 20, local people told the Education Minister through a memorandum that there is a government school in Khajuri Odpur village of Sangod police station area. Three teachers of this school, Shabana, Firoz Khan and Mirza Mujahid, put pressure on the children to offer Namaz. Taking action on this, the Education Department on February 22 issued an order to suspend Firoz Khan and Mirza Mujahid.
Villagers say the allegations being made against Muslim teachers are baseless. Teacher Firoz Khan also has the responsibility of BLO, he had removed some fake names from the voter list during the assembly elections, due to which some people are angry with him and are making false allegations against him.
Villagers say an all-religion drama was staged in the Republic Day celebration and annual function of the school in which students played worship rituals of different religions. But some people are making viral the Namaz scene from that drama and making such allegations that Namaz is taught in schools, which is baseless.
Villagers also maintain that a few days ago, a Hindu girl named Muskaan from the same village married a Muslim boy of her own free will; the family members of that girl are giving more importance to this issue whereas Muskaan does not even study in that school. Nor do the school teachers have anything to do with this matter.
In 2019, on the allegation of Muslim teachers writing religion Islam in the admission form of the school’s Hindu student Muskaan, student Muskaan has given an affidavit saying that she herself had written religion in the admission form by mistake and there is no fault of the teachers in it.
The school students and their parents are also protesting in support of the school teachers, saying that all three teachers are innocent. Some of the students who had accused the teachers a few days ago also said that they were forced to say all this under pressure.
Villagers say the school has a staff of 15 teachers, three of them Muslim. The charge of conducting religious activities of a particular religion in the school is completely false. Making such false allegations is spoiling the learning environment in the school and is also bringing bad name to the village.
