Doda students protest anti-India diktat by teachers

Ranjit Thakur

Doda, August 18

May sound bizarre, but teachers in a government school of Doda district in the Jammu region have issued a diktat to the students strictly telling them not to sing the national anthem in the morning assembly.

While waving of Pakistani and IS flags and raising of pro-freedom and pro-Pakistan slogans, largely confined to Kashmir, were the handiwork of separatists and others of their ilk, the diktat by government teachers has sent the district administration into a tizzy, which has ordered a probe.

Unable to digest anti-India diktat, a massive protest was staged by students of Government Higher Secondary School at Bhagwah on Tuesday against the schoolteachers, who are not allowing them to sing the national anthem. Some teachers, who harbour secessionist mindset, were objecting to the singing of the national anthem during the morning assembly.

The incident infuriated the students, who today came out on the roads in a large number and started raising slogan against teachers, who are stopping them from singing the national anthem. The angry students demanded strict legal action against the teachers. “Some of these teachers have thrashed our fellow students and also misbehaved with them for singing national anthem in the morning assembly. We cannot sing our national anthem in the school and it has been now more than two years that the diktat had been thrust upon us. This is really very unfortunate that students in an Indian state cannot sing the national anthem in assembly prayers,” a student of Class XI, Yashoda, told the media at Doda. Imran Ahmed, another student, said, “It’s our national anthem and we love it. There is nothing wrong in it. I don’t know why these teachers are opposed to it. They should be dismissed for their unlawful and anti-India activity.”

“I was manhandled by my teachers for singing the national anthem in the school. If other schools have no objections in playing the national anthem, then why these teachers are not allowing us to sing our national anthem. We want strict legal action against them. Nobody can stop us from singing our national anthem,” said Suresh Singh, head student of class XI of the school.

Earlier this morning, over 100 girls and boys students of the school walked to the district headquarters, Doda, covering a distance of about 15 km to lodge their protest before the Deputy Commissioner. They had to cover the distance on foot as a landslide had blocked the road.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Doda, Bhupinder Kumar has assured strict action against the guilty teachers after proper inquiry into the incident. He said nobody could stop the students from singing the national anthem in the school. “My tehsildar will remain present in the morning assembly prayers. We have set up a three-member inquiry committee, headed by Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Doda, Vaibhav Kohli, and the panel will submit its report within a week’s time,” said Bhupinder Kumar.

Depending upon the report, suitable action would be taken against those found guilty, he added. Chief Education Officer, Doda, Ajit Kumar said, “It’s a very serious issue and until we properly look into it and inquire thoroughly, it’s very difficult to comment about the teachers involved in it.”