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Mathura school principal, accused of attempting to convert students to Islam, suspended
Ratan Kirti, district Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), issued a suspension order on January 31 against Jaan Mohammad, the principal of a primary school in the Naujheel development block. He has been attached to a primary school in the Mant development block.
A government primary school principal in Mathura has been suspended after a BJP leader accused him of attempting to convert students to Islam and preventing the recitation of the national anthem at the school, officials said on Monday.
Ratan Kirti, district Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), issued a suspension order on January 31 against Jaan Mohammad, the principal of a primary school in the Naujheel development block. He has been attached to a primary school in the Mant development block.
A two-member committee has been constituted to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit its report within one month.
The action followed a complaint filed on January 30 by Durgesh Pradhan, president of the BJP’s mandal unit, who alleged that the principal was motivating students towards Islam and allegedly prompting them to offer namaz. The complaint also alleged that the principal insulted Hindu deities and scolded students for reciting the national song during school activities.
“The principal used derogatory remarks about the Hindu religion and told students to ask their parents to convert to Islam,” Pradhan alleged in his complaint letter. He also claimed that students were allegedly asked to visit a mosque and that members of an Islamic group visited the school to motivate students in this regard.
However, Mohammad denied the allegations and expressed shock at the speed of the action. “The allegations of motivating students to adopt Islam are totally false. It is a daily routine to have three things in the morning assembly including prayer, pratigya (oath), and national song. No student or their parents had ever lodged a complaint and in this case also, I do not know the complainant, who is said to be of political background,” he told Hindustan Times.
“I have been teaching here at primary school in Naujheel since 2007 and never faced such charges or allegations. All eight teachers at the primary school are Hindus and totally supportive of me throughout my career here at this school for the past 19 years,” said Mohammad, a former hawaldar with the Border Security Force (BSF) who switched to teaching after joining the school in Baldev town of Mathura district.
“I received the suspension order on Sunday (February 1) evening from BSA without getting any opportunity to explain my position,” said the 53-year-old Mohammad, who is from the nearby village Ram Nagla in Mathura and obtained a BEd (bachelor of education) degree from BSA College in Mathura.
According to officials, the block education officer submitted a report on January 30. Based on the report, the BSA found the principal prima facie guilty of failing to comply with his basic duties and violating rules applicable to government servants.
The primary school headed by Mohammad is a co-education government primary school with 235 students and eight teachers.
