Amroha school controversy: Probe panel lets principal off hook; manager re-inducted into BJP
Another inquiry panel formed to probe Principal’s conversation with student’s mother; Principal asked to work from home
The manager of Hilton Convent School of Amroha, Anurag Saini, has been re-inducted into the BJP fold as part of the party’s ongoing membership drive, while the principal of the school has been found to have used objectionable language during a conversation with the mother of a Muslim student. The investigation committee did not pass any strictures on the school principal, effectively letting him off the hook.
The Muslim boy, a student of Class 3, was accused of bringing non-vegetarian food in his tiffin and reportedly threatening his classmates of converting them to Islam by feeding them the food.
A committee of three principals of government schools formed by the district inspector of schools, V P Singh, found the principal Avneesh Sharma guilty of using inappropriate language with the student’s mother.
A video of their conversation had gone viral on social media after which political leaders Asaduddin Owaisi, Chandrashekher Azad and others had criticised the school management and principal over the incident.
Meanwhile, a photograph of school’s manager Anurag Saini with Amroha BJP president, Udai Giri Goswami, went viral in which he was seen wearing a stole of the saffron party.
Goswami, however, said that Saini has been a BJP member for long as his father was among founder members of the party and also served as minister in the BJP government. He further said that the party has fixed a target of making 5 lakh members during the ongoing membership drive therefore he had gone to meet Saini along with other party members.
Amroha’s former MP, Danish Ali said, “He (Saini) joined BJP only to prevent action against the school and the principal”. He demanded that stern action be initiated against the school and principal because their words and actions had violated the ethos of our constitution.
“They tried to frame a student of Class 3 in communal allegations without any evidence,” he said and questioned how a student of seven or eight years could talk about complex issues like conversion and blasphemy.
Meanwhile, sources said that the school manager was a close associate of a senior Samajwadi Party leader in the district who also tried to pressure the student’s mother to brush the issue under the carpet.
Saini’s father, Mangal Singh Saini, was minister in the BJP government in 1997 and he also had an association with BSP and the Samajwadi Party.
Sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Sudhir Kumar, circle officer Arun Kumar, DIOS V P Singh along with members of both sides sat together on Tuesday evening to reach a compromise.
DIOS Singh said that the student’s mother agreed to withdraw her three children from the school and asked his assistance ensuring their admission in another school. The school management also agreed to waive off the remaining fees of ₹31,770.
He said that the committee has found the principal of using inappropriate language during an interaction with the student’s mother. The committee remained silent on allegations of the student bringing non-vegetarian food and talking about conversion, and being involved in an alleged act of blasphemy. It also found the allegation of keeping the student captive and beating him wrong.
School principal Avneesh Sharma said that the issue of non-veg food came to light a year ago. “What I said to the boy’s mother was based on allegations of the parents of the student’s classmates”.
Meanwhile, after findings of the committee, the school management has formed a committee to probe the conversation of a viral video of the principal and the student’s mother. And the principal has been directed to work from home for a fair inquiry.