HYDERABAD: The controversy over a private school in Hyderabad allegedly asking a Class 2 Hindu student to learn an Islamic verse as homework intensified on Thursday.The BJP alleged a “conversion mafia” and “education jihad” while demanding strict action against the school management despite the teacher being terminated, news agency PTI reported.The row erupted after the parents of a six-year-old student alleged that their son was asked to learn an Islamic verse as part of his homework.Following the controversy, the school terminated the teacher involved, but the BJP said the action was not enough.BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress government in Telangana of patronising such incidents and questioned why no action had been taken against the school management.“Too little, too late. The school in question, which was allowing the forcible recitation of the Kalma, an Islamic prayer, to Hindu children, has finally, after giving a series of excuses and saying it was a mistake, terminated the teacher,” Poonawalla said in a video posted on X.“But that is not enough. Why did such a case take place in Hyderabad, under Revanth Reddy and (Asaduddin) Owaisi?” he asked.Calling the incident “nothing short of a forcible conversion case” and a “forcible Kalma test”, Poonawalla demanded legal action against the teacher, school administration and the institution.“This is nothing short of a forcible conversion case, a forcible Kalma test. We have seen this in the Nashik TCS case, corporate jihad, and now this education jihad. Congress is allowing and enabling this through its ecosystem. Congress must answer. The Congress government must answer,” he said.Another BJP national spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari, also attacked the Congress, alleging that its politics had encouraged a “conversion mafia” in Telangana.“Congress’ own stand is: Congress equals Muslims, and Muslims equal Congress. It is aptly clear that motivated by the stance of the Congress, the conversion mafia in Telangana is now converting Hindu students and asking them to recite the Kalma in a private school,” Bhandari said in a video on X.He also alleged that AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were “hand in glove” and accused the Congress of pursuing an “anti-Hindu” agenda.
Teacher terminated; police verifying complaint
The private school confirmed that it had terminated the teacher following the controversy.A school management official said the teacher’s services had been terminated with effect from Thursday and that she had been permanently debarred from future employment within the institution’s group.Police said they were verifying the complaint filed by the student’s relative and would proceed accordingly.According to the student’s aunt, Supriya Gaud, she noticed instructions in the child’s homework diary directing him to read content related to a core Muslim belief after picking him up from school.She alleged that when she confronted the school authorities, the principal initially told her it was a mandatory religious topic for all students. However, she claimed the teacher later admitted that the instructions had been written in the notebook by mistake.Guad said religion-related homework should only be given to students who choose to study it and urged the education department to initiate action.“If you are giving education, just do that. Students from different religions and different backgrounds come to get an education. They’re coming for quality education. Kalma and Surah Fatiha are not part of the subject; they are religious texts. If you want to make it a subject, then please include the Bhagavad Gita and the Bible as well,” she said.She also welcomed the school’s decision to terminate the teacher.“I am really thankful to the school management because they have taken strict action on this. We saw the diary and raised our voice. I don’t know in how many diaries and for how many students this has been going on,” she added.
BJP, VHP stage protest
The controversy also triggered protests outside the school on Wednesday, with Hyderabad Police detaining several BJP workers and parents who had gathered demanding action against the institution.Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay Kumar condemned the incident and questioned why “so-called secular outfits” had remained silent.He also said that if the BJP came to power in Telangana after the 2028 Assembly elections, it would make it mandatory for Hindu students to apply a ‘tilak’ on their foreheads.The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) also demanded action against the school, with leader Ravinuthala Shashidhar calling for its government recognition to be revoked.Among those detained during the protest was BJP leader Andela Sriramulu Yadav, who alleged that the curriculum followed by the school was unacceptable.“How can they teach the Kalma here? We saw in Jammu and Kashmir how people were murdered if they didn’t recite the Kalma. See how the child is describing what happened in the school!” he said.BJP leader and adv Karuna Sagar, who was also detained, questioned why no FIR had been registered and demanded the arrest of the school principal.Police are yet to issue a detailed statement on the investigation or any possible legal action against the school management.(With agency inputs)
