UP headmaster suspended for making pupils sing Iqbal poem : The Tribune India

Join Whatsapp Channel

UP headmaster suspended for making pupils sing Iqbal poem

PILIBHIT: The headmaster of a government school in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit was suspended following the complaint by the local Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang leaders that students were singing “Lab pe aati hai dua banke tamanna meri’ in the morning prayers.

UP headmaster suspended for making pupils sing Iqbal poem

Pilibhit District Magistrate Vaibhav Srivastava said that the headmaster was suspended because he was not making the students sing the national anthem.



Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), October 16

The headmaster of a government school in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit was suspended following the complaint by the local Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang leaders that students were singing “Lab pe aati hai dua banke tamanna meri’ in the morning prayers.

The poem “Lab pe aati hai dua” was written in 1902 by Mohd Iqbal, also known as Allama Iqbal who also wrote the famous lines—“Sare jahan se achcha Hindustan hamara”.

According to reports, the VHP complaint led to an inquiry which was conducted by Block Education Officer (BEO) Upendra Kumar. The inquiry revealed that the children in the school usually sang the poem during the morning assembly.

Pilibhit District Magistrate Vaibhav Srivastava said that the headmaster was suspended because he was not making the students sing the national anthem.

“If the headmaster wanted to teach another poem also to the student, he should have sought permission. If he makes student recite a poem and not the national anthem, then there is an offence against him,” the District Magistrate said.

The suspended headmaster Furqan Ali, 45, however, denied the allegations.

“Students regularly sing the national anthem and the poem by Iqbal is part of the Urdu syllabus for classes one to eight. VHP and Hindu Yuva Vahini workers held protests outside the school and at the Collectorate, demanding my removal. I only got a poem, which is part of the government school syllabus, sung. My students also raise patriotic slogans such as ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ every day during the assembly,” he said.

The Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) of Pilibhit, Devendra Swarup, meanwhile, said that the complaint by VHP and Bajrang Dal members was not against whether the national anthem is sung or not—it was an objection against the poem by Iqbal.

VHP’s district chief, Ambarish Misra, said he opposed a ‘madrasa prayer’ being recited at a government primary school.

“We gave a written complaint to the BSA demanding action against the headmaster for getting a different prayer recited at government school,” he said.—IANS

Top News

Arvind Kejriwal to be produced before Delhi court today as 6-day ED custody ends

Excise policy case: Delhi court extends ED custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till April 1

In his submissions, Kejriwal said, ‘I am named by 4 witnesse...

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

The bench refuses to comment on merits of the issue, saying ...

‘Unwarranted, unacceptable’: India on US remarks on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

‘Unwarranted, unacceptable’: India on US remarks on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

MEA spokesperson says India is proud of its independent and ...

Bullying Congress culture, no wonder being rejected: PM Modi, backs senior lawyers who flagged attempts to undermine public trust in judiciary

Bullying Congress culture, no wonder being rejected: PM Modi

Backs senior lawyers who flagged attempts to undermine publi...

Gujarat court sentences former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in 1996 drug case

Gujarat court sentences former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in 1996 drug case

Bhatt, who was sacked from the force in 2015, is already beh...


Cities

View All