Saidabad school row: FIR against teacher over ‘Kalma’ homework allegation

Hyderabad: An FIR was registered against a teacher and the management of a private school in Saidabad for allegedly assigning Islamic religious lessons as homework to a Hindu student.

Following a complaint lodged by the student’s aunt, the FIR was booked under Section 299 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion) and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act (cruelty to child) against the teacher, a police official said.

The teacher’s action triggered a massive row on Thursday, with Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) taking strong exception to it and demanding tough action against the school. Following the controversy, the school management terminated the services of the teacher.

Charminar Zone DCP Khare Kiran Prabhakar on Thursday said a female teacher on Wednesday assigned homework to the Grade 2 students that everyone should read ‘Kalma’. Of the 25 students in the class, only one is a Hindu student, he said.

Furthermore, the DCP said it was a complete violation of both the education policy and the school’s policy since she had instructed all the students to ‘read Kalma.’

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Telangana authorities over allegations that a private school in Saidabad made Islamic religious lessons and prayers compulsory as homework for students.

Acting on a complaint, the NHRC issued notices to the Director of School Education, the Hyderabad District Magistrate and the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, directing them to inquire into the allegations and submit a report within two weeks.

According to the complaint, the school in Saidabad allegedly assigned Islamic religious lessons and prayers through official school diaries. It further claimed that the school management failed to provide a satisfactory explanation when parents questioned the practice, describing the entries as a mistake despite similar instructions appearing repeatedly.

The Commission observed that the allegations, if found to be true, prima facie appeared to involve violations of the human rights of the students.

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