On May 31, posters of meritorious students from a private school started making rounds on the internet. The shocking fact about these posters was that all the girl students featured were wearing Hijab, mandatory in Islam. Some of these girls were Hindus and Jains and hence it sparked controversy.
However, the DM discarded the allegations saying, they were all rumours and that nothing suspicious was found in the preliminary investigations.
Taking cognizance of the matter the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Priyank Kanoongo issued a notice (number-DD6270) on May 31 to the District Magistrate (DM) demanding an action report in a week.
The major areas to be investigated as per the notice are if the school had permission to allow hijabs as a dress code, the commission also found videos of students reciting religious prayers, the authorities seem to breach article 28(3) of the Indian constitution and the funding received by the institution.
Notably, Hindu activists have been protesting against the school administration since 2021, they alleged that the Hindu girls were forced to wear Hijab, boys were taught how to offer Namaz and these children were taught as if the school is a Madrasa. No action was taken against the school administration to date.
The school, Ganga–Jamna Higher Secondary School is an English medium private institution located in ward number–4 of the Futera area in Damoh district. The posters in circulation had names of meritorious students of the school, both girls and boys. Out of 18 mentioned students, three were boys and the rest were girls. Out of 15 girls, four were from Hindu and Jain communities. Shockingly, all these girls were seen wearing Hijab (a scarf covering their hair).
Organiser checked the Facebook and YouTube pages of the Ganga Jamna school and found several controversial stuff. Pictures of the students posted by teachers of the school show, that the girls are wearing Hijab even during the sports day. Some of them might be Muslims but not everyone. The yearly class photographs posted on Facebook show, the heads of these girls covered. Those who have not worn Hijabs have kept a dupatta on their heads.
This correspondent also tracked the YouTube Channel of the school which has mere fifty subscribers, however, the condition remains the same on YouTube as well. All the girl students featured in the video clips are seen wearing hijabs only.
The video clips of the events are available on the channel and these students are reciting prayers by Allama Iqbal such as Sare Jahan Se Accha and Lab Pe Aai Hai Dua. Notably, in these clips the girls can be seen wearing Hijab and starting their prayers with, Islamic greetings, ‘Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh’. (Watch the video clip here )
A video from the independence day celebration 2022 is available on the channel which features girls. All these girls are wearing hijabs in green, white and saffron colours. Those who are not wearing Hijab have a dupatta on their head.
https://youtu.be/Pd86cWqa1Lk
In this video, the girl introduces the chief guest of the event MP Tiwari, the director of the school Haji Mohammad Idri, Vice President of Ganga Jamna welfare society Haji Abdul Razzaq, casier of Ganga Jamna Society Haji Mohammad Mushtaq and others.
The state Home Minister, Dr Narottam Mishra while speaking with media said, “In the matter of Hindu girls being shown in hijab in Ganga Jamuna School in Damoh, the District Education Officer and the local police officer investigated the matter but found nothing. However, in view of the seriousness of the matter, the Superintendent of Police has been instructed to thoroughly investigate the entire matter”. (Watch his statement here)
Organiser called up the Station House Officer, Damoh Kotwali, Vijay Singh Rajput who went to the school with DEO, Santosh Mishra on May 31. Rajput said, 60 per cent of the students studying at the school are Hindus and their parents have no problem with the arrangement. When they reached the school the poster was removed, he added.
Taking it to Twitter, Kanoongo informed, “A complaint has been received about a school in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district forcing Hindu and other non-Muslim girls to wear burqas and hijabs in the name of school uniforms. Cognizance of this is being taken and instructions are being sent to @CollectorDamoh and Superintendent of Police, Damoh for necessary action.”
As soon as the pictures of the poster installed at the school building went viral, it was removed by the school authorities.
Damoh Collector Mayank Agarwal Tweeted, “The information being spread by some people regarding a poster of Ganga Jamna School was found to be wrong by the station in-charge local Kotwali, and the District Education Officer and the inquiry committee submitted its report.” The SP Damoh also replied to the tweet that “the allegations were not proved on the investigation”.
The members of the Madhya Pradesh Child Commission, (MPSCPCR), Onkar Singh and Dr. Nivedita Sharma, also raised suspicion on the said matter. Sharma said that “SCPCR is receiving such complaints from across the state. I myself have gone to many places, and the government has also taken action at its level. An investigation of some is going on, and in some cases, the commission has also written to the government, and notices have also been issued to such institutions. In this case, we will also find out the real truth.”
Onkar Singh said that “I have such evidence that proves that Hindu girl students have been presented in the flex imposed by the school management. Posters were pasted on the walls of this school. In this case, the members of the commission will also go to the school and meet the girls.”
On the other hand, Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Central India Prant Prachar Pramukh Jitendra Singh Chauhan wrote to Collector Damoh that “Your officers have probably been bought; the police removed this board in the night; under whose pressure are you?” Sharing the poster he asked, ”Respected sir, what do you have to say about this poster?” This is on the wall of the school, even after all of this, if the administration closes its eyes, then it is love for a particular religion.”
It is pertinent to mention that this is not the first time that Hindu activists have complained about the school and their forced religious practices.
Back in September 2021, the members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad handed over a memorandum to the DM. They alleged that the students at Ganga Jamna school are forced to take the Madarsa kind of education. The girl students at the school were forced to wear Hijab whereas the boys were forced to offer Namaz. Inside the classroom, Quran Ayat’s were written in Arabic language and many such points were raised in the memorandum. However, no action was taken against the administration to date.
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