In a shocking incident that has been reported from the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, the students studying in the BLS International School were allegedly forcefully made to offer Namaz inside the campus. The parents said that their wards had been made to read Namaz and protested outside the school. The parents also stated that their children were made to wear burqas.
Following the massive protests led by a Hindu leader named Deepak Sharma, the school authorities suspended the principal and two teachers over the incident. However, the school denied the allegations and said that the protest was the result of a conspiracy.
According to the reports, the suspended school officials have been identified as the principal, Sonia McPherson, and two teachers Kambar Rizwan and Irrfan Elahi. The saga began on April 18 when a special assembly was organized at the school to make the students aware of Indian festivals. The Assembly was based on the theme of World Heritage Day and Eid.
The parents stated that the students at the Assembly were made to forcefully offer Namaz and Fathia. The parents amid the massive protest on Wednesday also chanted Hanuman Chalisa and also displayed posters reading, “I am not secular”, “BLS Principal, Chairman, and Staff Apologise”, and “Make kids read Hanuman Chalisa, Save Hindu Religion.”
Some of the parents alleged that the “school students were not made to read Hanuman Chalisa on the recently happened occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, then why were they forcefully made to read Namaz.” Additionally, the demonstrators said that the kids were made to wear burqas. They demanded that the school administration be named in an FIR.
The school management meanwhile released a statement claiming that rumors were being spread by the protesters around the school campus. “A special assembly was organised on April 18. For the all-around development of the students, music, dance and drama skits were organised to make them aware of Indian festivals… The assembly was on the theme of World Heritage Day and Eid. Students enacted roles of Shivaji Maharaj, Fatima Sheikh, Symbol of Democracy, Cathedral Church, Taj Mahal, and Elephanta Caves to make everyone aware of the heritage and great personalities…they performed and sang,” the statement read.
“But some people tried to mislead by giving the name of this song as ‘Fatiha’ or ‘Namaz’ and spread false rumours. It is not at all the same. The school completely denies this. All this was done under a conspiracy by some people to tarnish the image of the school. Nothing like this had happened in the school. It was a normal program organised in the special assembly of the school. The management has suspended principal Sonia McPherson from the post with immediate effect. An internal committee of the school and the administrative committee have been constituted… which will submit their investigation report regarding the case,” it added.
Archana Verma, District Magistrate, Hathras has taken cognizance of the event and has ordered the inquiry against the school administration. Also, a committee headed by the deputy district collector and Hathras district school inspector has been constituted to investigate the matter.