In a disturbing case of religious discrimination, a prominent private school in Nagpur, Maharashtra, has come under fire after a Muslim girl was allegedly denied admission based on her faith. The incident has sparked outrage and calls for strict action, reported the Maktoob Media.
According to reports, Rajesh Lalwani, secretary of Dayanand Arya Kanya Vidyalaya located in Nagpur’s Jaripatka area, is accused of giving oral instructions to staff not to admit girls from the Muslim community for the academic year 2025–26.
The incident came to light when assistant teacher Suman Masand objected to the denial of admission to a Muslim girl seeking entry into Class 6. Masand brought the matter to the attention of Principal Dr. Geeta Harwani, who, along with the student’s family, filed a police complaint.
Following the complaint, the Jaripatka police booked school secretary Rajesh Lalwani, admission in-charge Simran Gyanchandani, and teacher Anita Arya under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which penalizes deliberate acts intended to outrage religious sentiments.
An FIR filed on May 13 revealed that although staff member Anita Arya initially told the family there were no vacancies, internal inquiries and an audio recording allegedly confirmed that the refusal was based on discriminatory instructions from the trustee.
The incident has drawn condemnation from across the state. Pyare Khan, a member of the Maharashtra State Minority Commission, stated, “Education is a fundamental right, and discrimination has no place in it.” He assured that the student would now be granted admission.
Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh also condemned the incident, urging Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure immediate and stern action. “This is a blatant violation of our constitutional principles. Such discrimination is unacceptable in any civilised society,” he said.
The school has since resumed the admission process and asked the student’s family to submit the necessary documents.
This incident adds to the communal tensions in Nagpur, which have been simmering since March 2025, following unrest related to the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.