Students Rally Against Suspensions as Teacher Clarifies Misunderstanding; Minister Initiates Investigation Amid Controversy
Team Clarion
JAIPUR – Days after a Rajasthan minister suspended three government school teachers in Kota district over allegations of conversion, a cloud of confusion looms over the controversy, with conflicting narratives emerging from the affected parties.
Mirza Mujahid, one of the suspended teachers from Khajuri Odpur government school in Sangod block, stepped forward to address the uproar, asserting that the entire debacle stemmed from a case of mistaken identity. In a conversation with The Indian Express, Mujahid clarified that the contentious issue arose due to confusion regarding students with identical names, leading to an erroneous alteration in the religion column of one student’s records. He emphasized that this was merely a human error, not a deliberate act of religious conversion.
The controversy gained momentum when dozens of students from the Khajuri Odpur government school marched to the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate to protest against the suspensions. In videos circulated on social media, the students vehemently denied any instance of religious conversion occurring within their school premises and demanded the reinstatement of their teachers.
The genesis of the controversy traces back to a complaint filed by a religious group, Sarva Hindu Samaj, to the state’s Education Minister, Madan Dilawar. The complaint alleged that a former Hindu student was incorrectly listed as Muslim in the school register, and subsequent events, including the student’s elopement with a Muslim man, fueled suspicions of forced conversions within the school.
However, Mujahid refuted these claims, asserting that the elopement incident had no connection to the school, as the girl in question had already graduated by then, and the teachers had no personal acquaintance with her. He maintained that the truth would emerge once the ongoing investigation unfolds.
Apart from Mirza Mujahid, two other teachers, Firoz Khan and Shabana, faced suspension in the wake of the allegations. While the action against Mujahid and Khan transpired on Thursday, Shabana was suspended on Saturday, further exacerbating tensions within the educational community.
The allegations of forced conversions and religious coercion leveled against the teachers were vehemently denied by the protesting students, numbering around 50, who insisted that such practices were nonexistent in their school environment.
Adding another layer to the complexity of the situation, a source from the school, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the girl’s father had signed the form containing the erroneous religious information. The source emphasized the need for caution on the part of the parents and reiterated that the incident was a result of administrative oversight rather than malicious intent.
Principal Kamlesh Bairwa echoed similar sentiments, attesting to the impeccable record of the suspended teachers during their tenure at the school. Both Bairwa and the village sarpanch, Sushila Kanwar, expressed disbelief at the allegations, affirming that no instances of religious conversion had ever been reported in the village or the school.
In response to the escalating controversy, the minister released a video statement on Friday, highlighting the government’s stance on the issue and underscoring the seriousness of the allegations. He assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted, and if the teachers were found culpable, they would face termination from their positions.
As the investigation unfolds and conflicting narratives continue to emerge, the fate of the suspended teachers hangs in the balance, amidst fervent protests and calls for transparency and accountability in the handling of the situation.
