‘Ma' for masjid, ‘Na' for namaz: ABVP accuses MP school of using 'Islamic content' in Hindi charts; probe ordered
NEW DELHI: A school in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district is facing backlash after alphabet charts with Islamic references were allegedly distributed to students.
The incident triggered protests and a government inquiry.
Officials on Saturday said Baby Convent School principal I A Qureshi is accused of handing out Hindi alphabet charts where 'Ka' stood for Kaba, 'Ma' for Masjid and 'Na' for Namaz.
According to protesters, the material was inappropriate for a school setting. Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a demonstration on Friday and surrounded the principal's office.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Pratibha Sharma said police intervened to bring the situation under control.
'The matter is related to the education department and referred to the district education officer,' Sharma said.
DEO D D Rajak confirmed an investigation is under way, adding, 'As per the Education department's guidelines, study material containing religious symbols of any particular faith cannot be taught in schools.'
Qureshi admitted to an 'inadvertent' error, stating that one or two books with mixed Urdu-Hindi content had reached students. She claimed the alphabet charts were sourced from Bhopal and that the inclusion of three such items was due to a seller's mistake.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Undemocratic', ‘exclusionary': Student outfits condemn move mandating DUSU poll candidates to deposit Rs 1 lakh bond
Major students' groups have condemned a move mandating candidates in fray for the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections to deposit a Rs 1 lakh bond, to be eligible to contest. From the Aam Aadmi Party's Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP) to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to the Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) — all student bodies have termed the move as 'undemocratic' and 'exclusionary'. This comes weeks before the DUSU elections, scheduled for next month. Calling it a 'Tughlaqi farman', ASAP leaders said it is aimed at keeping middle-class students out of the race. 'It is nothing but a conspiracy to directly block middle-class students from contesting elections,' said Kuldeep Bidhuri, ASAP's Delhi state president. He also said that if a student were to contest for all four posts, 'how will they arrange Rs 4 lakh for the bonds?' ASAP's Praveen Chaudhary called the decision 'a huge wall erected against aspiring candidates', and asked how an 'ordinary student' could afford the deposit for what, he said, is meant to be a 'platform for service'. ABVP national media convenor Harsh Attri said the group had met with the DU Registrar and submitted a memorandum against the decision and urging that no such decisions should be taken without consulting the students. The NSUI, too, issued a statement opposing the order. It said: 'In DUSU elections, @UnivofDelhi has put a condition of paying a bond of Rs 1 lakh. Will you not allow children from ordinary families to contest elections?' 'The bond for MP elections in the country is only Rs 25,000. The (Narendra) Modi government is so afraid of students and their leaders that it is hell-bent on ending student union elections.' 'NSUI supports clean and fair student elections as per the Lyngdoh Committee and court rulings — but this notification is nothing more than a political weapon to help the ruling BJP's student organisation ABVP and target opponents,' said its national president Varun Choudhary. Speaking to The Indian Express, Registrar Vikas Gupta said, 'This was part of the guidelines laid down by the (Delhi) High Court.' Last year, the high court had rapped the university for defacement during the students' elections and had postponed the declaration of results by a month. After summoning 15 DUSU poll candidates last year for allegedly defacing public and private property while campaigning, the high court had directed them to give an undertaking that 'they shall not deface or mutilate any public property' in the future. A bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela recorded the appearances of the 15 candidates who were summoned on October 21, the last date of hearing. After referring to photos and videos from last year's campaign showing jammed roads, luxury cars, posters, graffiti, etc, Chief Justice Manmohan, in an oral remark to ABVP's former presidential candidate Rishabh Chaudhary, said: 'It seems you have a lot of funds at your disposal. You'll clean up.' 'We don't want to punish them as such but they must clear up the mess,' he added. The bench recorded in its order that the summoned candidates should remove the posters, hoardings or graffiti from the campus as well as other places in Delhi, at their own expense. In its order dated November 11, 2024, the high court had recorded that DU, vide notification dated October 30, 2024, had constituted a 'DUSU Election Reforms Committee', which submitted its report on November 8, that year. DU's counsel had informed the court that the report was accepted 'in principle' by the Vice-Chancellor. Among reforms listed in the report was a bond 'to be executed at the time of filing nomination paper to contest any post of office-bearer of College Union/DUSU for Rs. 1 lakh by the student for the act of any defacement during the course of study/election'.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Gangster Salman Tyagi found dead in Mandoli jail, suicide suspected
Gangster Salman Tyagi, who had several several criminal cases registered against him in the Capital, including murder and extortion, was found dead in Northeast Delhi's Mandoli jail on Saturday, police said, adding that they suspect that he died by suicide. Tyagi was allegedly found hanging with a bedsheet in his cell during a routine inspection, said prison authorities. Prison officials said the circumstances around his death are being closely examined. A detailed report is awaited. 'A probe has been initiated. We are trying to ascertain how the incident occurred and what led him to take this step,' a senior police officer said. Tyagi had been convicted under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and was counted among the infamous gangsters in the city. Sources said he was initially working with the Neeraj Bawana gang but eventually broke away in a bid to establish his own identity. Over the past few years, he is believed to have tried aligning with Lawrence Bishnoi's syndicate. Even from behind bars, sources said, Tyagi continued illegal activities. Last year, he allegedly ordered an attack on two businessmen in the Capital to pressure them into paying Rs 50 lakh as extortion. The incident, according to investigators, was meant to highlight his ability to carry out high-profile crimes despite being in custody and to win Bishnoi's confidence. Beyond the world of crime, Tyagi cultivated a parallel identity on social media. Officers said he was fascinated by Bollywood and often drew inspiration from actor Salman Khan. Adopting Khan's look from the 2003 Hindi film 'Tere Naam', Tyagi grew his hair long, posting pictures in similar poses and uploading them across multiple accounts on YouTube and Instagram, said police sources. He remained active online even after his arrest, officers said, directing associates to shoot reels of him during court appearances and post them to boost his visibility.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Abu Bakar appointed as new PPU registrar
Patna: Urdu professor at TPS College, Patna, Abu Bakar, has been appointed as the new registrar of Patliputra University (PPU) by governor-cum-chancellor of the state universities, Arif Mohammad Khan. A notification to this effect was issued by principal secretary to governor, Robert L Chongthu, on Friday. According to sources, Abu Bakar replaced N K Jha who had earlier submitted a formal request to the governor seeking to be relieved from the registrar's post due to personal reasons. Jha also expressed his intention to return to his parent Patna University, sources said. Bakar brings with him an extensive academic and administrative experience from his tenure as a senior faculty member at the TPS College, a constituent unit of PPU. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Krishna Janmashtami Wishes ,, messages , and quotes !
