India: Muslim teacher, headmistress suspended after Hindu groups object to Quranic verse in school
India: Muslim teacher, headmistress suspended after Hindu groups object to Quranic verse in school
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A fresh controversy has erupted in Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, India, following the protest of Hindu organisations to the presence of a framed Quranic verse hanging above a classroom gate at a government primary school in Nagla Purva village, under Kurh Fatehgarh police station.
Members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad reached the school upon learning of the display and demanded immediate action against the staff.
They argued that religious symbols have no place in government educational institutions and accused assistant teacher Mohammad Nazim of imparting Islamic teachings to students—an allegation the teacher and several villagers firmly rejected.
Videos circulating from the incident show activists aggressively questioning teachers, inspecting classrooms, blackboards, and books, while moving through the premises like an unofficial inspection team.
Protesters further alleged that posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Goddess Saraswati had been removed—claims denied by school staff.
Following a written complaint submitted in the presence of police, the framed verse was taken down. Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Alka Sharma swiftly suspended both the headmistress, Pushpa Jatav, and assistant teacher Mohammad Nazim, stating that the matter violated school norms and an inquiry had been ordered.
Critics, including local education activists and community members, have questioned the haste of the suspensions.
The episode has drawn parallels to a 2023 case in Mathura, where a Muslim headmaster was falsely accused of religious coercion; his suspension was later revoked after villagers and an inquiry cleared him.
Muslim community elders in Sambhal expressed concern over a recurring pattern, asking why similar scrutiny is not applied to other religious symbols in public spaces.
