News
Allahabad school manager bans National Anthem in school. Held after teachers protest.
After the manager Zia-ul-Haq imposed the ban on the national anthem, the principal and 8 teachers quit to protest. Authorities have already launched a probe against MA Convent School in Sadiyabad and the school which is not recognised by the education department will be sealed on Monday.
Teachers of a private school lodged a police complaint against the manager of private school for banning the singing of national anthem in the morning assembly, leading to his arrest.
After the manager Zia-ul-Haq imposed the ban, the principal and 8 teachers quit to protest against the verbal instructions issued by him. Authorities have already launched a probe against MA Convent School in Sadiyabad and the school which is not recognised by the education department, will be sealed on Monday, a senior official said.
The media reported that the manager, Zia-Ul Haq, has been arrested for running the school without a proper affiliation and also charged under Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.
“Even Supreme Court has said that a person is free to not sing the national anthem if any part of the anthem is against his or her religion,” Haq was quoted as saying.
Additional SP (city) Rajesh Yadav said: “The complainants (education department officials) had alleged that the school manager, by his refusal to allow (the) singing of the national anthem and statements issued before the media defending his action, has caused breach of peace and tension in the area.”
Chief development officer and officiating district magistrate Andra Vamsi said the FIR was lodged against Haq after gathering valid proof against him.
Vamsi added that the 300-odd students of the school will be shifted to other institutes after the school is sealed.
The teachers who had resigned said that according to Haq, the phrase ‘Bharat Bhagya Vidhata’ went against the tenets of Islam and hence he had banned the singing of the national anthem.
“Most of us have been working here for not a very long time. We were shocked to learn from the management that the school has never allowed the singing of national anthem in the last 12 years.
“Since we had been asked to fall in line or leave, we chose a decision based on our conscience,” Ritu Tripathi, who was the principal, said.
The right-wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad and residents staged a protest outside the school on Sunday evening.