A school principal has been suspended in Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha over the alleged illegal construction of a “mazar-like platform” on campus, refusal to allow an idol of goddess Saraswati and stopping students from singing the national song and anthem. Mazar means an enshrined tomb of a Muslim holy person.
The suspension order was issued late on Thursday after National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Priyank Kanoongo visited the school earlier in the day to probe the matter following retired teacher Baliram Sahu’s allegations against Shayna Firdaus, the principal.
In his complaint, Sahu said Firdaus’s husband, Banne Khan, a teacher who retired a few months ago, constructed the platform.
District collector Umakant Bhargava wrote a letter on Thursday seeking disciplinary action against Firdaus before school education commissioner Abhay Verma suspended her for violation of rules of Madhya Pradesh Civil services for “allowing the construction” in February.
Kanoongo said they found grave irregularities in the school and a thorough investigation should be done into the matter.
Firdaus said a few teachers conspired for her removal but locals and students are supporting her. “I was posted to the school 20 years back and no one raised questions on my work till now.”
District education officer Atul Kumar cited an inquiry and said it found that the platform was constructed and later left abandoned. “Firdaus said she has nothing to do with the mazar. She also denied the allegation of banning the singing national anthem and national song.”
{{/usCountry}}District education officer Atul Kumar cited an inquiry and said it found that the platform was constructed and later left abandoned. “Firdaus said she has nothing to do with the mazar. She also denied the allegation of banning the singing national anthem and national song.”
{{/usCountry}}Sahu said the students at the school would recite only the devotional song ‘ae malik tere bande hum’ in the school and Firdaus behaved autocratically. “We filed a complaint against her.”
Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar sang the devotional song for the 1957 Bollywood film Do Aankhen Barah Haath.
Firdaus’s successor and former deputy, RK Shrivastava, said he was a part of the inquiry and many teachers said she stopped students from singing the national anthem and song after taking over charge as the school principal in 2016. “Now, we have restarted the singing of the national anthem and national song in the school.”
A teacher, who requested anonymity, said Firdaus has a good reputation and some teachers were jealous of her and that is why they targeted her. “The mazar-like structure was present for a long time, but someone just renovated it. Similarly, she used to put the photo of Saraswati in every programme... so it is wrong to say that she was promoting any religion.”