Mohammad Salauddin faces the axe after students of majority community accuse him of forcing Urdu lessons; experts and locals question if promoting Urdu can be seen as religious offence
NEW DELHI/BIJNOR — A disturbing example of religious discrimination has emerged in a government composite school in Harbanspur Dharam village of Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor District, where a Muslim teacher Mohammad Salauddin, was suspended after students from the majority community protested against his efforts to teach Urdu.
The incident has sparked serious concerns over religious bias and the status of Urdu language education in the state.
Mohammad Salauddin, the school principal and Urdu teacher, faced allegations from Hindu students accusing him of forcing them to study Urdu — a language unfairly labelled as belonging to one religion only. According to the students, those who refused to study Urdu were reportedly threatened and even punished.
A video of protesting students outside the school gate quickly spread on social media, showing the intensity of the community’s backlash. The children claimed that Salauddin favoured students who agreed to learn Urdu, ignoring others, and made derogatory comments about Hindu beliefs. One student alleged, “He said God is nothing, has anyone seen God?”
The allegations led Basic Education Officer Yogendra Kumar to order an immediate investigation. Following a report by Block Education Officer Indrapal Singh, Mohammad Salauddin was suspended and transferred to Primary School Jahanabad Khobra.
This case raises an important question: Can promoting Urdu be seen as religious discrimination? Urdu, which has a rich literary and cultural history in India, is often wrongly associated solely with Muslims, leading to prejudice against those teaching or learning it.
Yogendra Kumar emphasised, “Religious discrimination will not be tolerated in schools under any circumstances. A teacher’s role is to educate all children equally, without favouritism.”
However, many in the Muslim community and education experts argue that encouraging Urdu study should not be criminalised or misinterpreted as inciting religious sentiments.
One local Muslim parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Urdu is our heritage language. Teaching it should be a matter of pride, not punishment. The suspension of Salauddin sends a wrong message to Muslim teachers who want to keep their culture alive.’
On the other side, some parents from the majority community voiced concerns over Salauddin’s behaviour. Rohitash Singh and Shivam, parents of students at the school, said their children had faced difficulties with the teacher’s conduct for some time but had no earlier chance to speak out.
“We support strict action because children should not be forced to learn anything they don’t want,” Rohitash Singh said. Shivam added, “A teacher must respect all religions and beliefs equally.”
This incident is part of a wider pattern of increasing pressure and discrimination faced by Muslims in Uttar Pradesh’s education system. Muslim educators often find themselves targeted for practicing their culture or teaching Urdu, despite the language being an integral part of India’s composite culture.
Human rights groups warn that such discrimination harms the social fabric and contradicts India’s constitutional promise of secularism and equality.
Dr Ayesha Siddiqui, a rights activist, said, “Muslim teachers are being unfairly singled out. Teaching Urdu is not a crime; it is part of India’s rich cultural diversity. Actions like these discourage Muslim teachers and students from embracing their identity.”
The suspension of Mohammad Salauddin highlights the urgent need to protect minority rights and promote Urdu education without fear. Urdu is recognised in the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule and enjoys official status in several Indian states.
Local community leaders have demanded the reinstatement of Salauddin and called for sensitisation of school authorities to prevent such religiously motivated suspensions.
“We must stand against attempts to label Urdu as a communal issue,” said Muhammad Anwar, a community spokesperson. “It is not just a language but a symbol of our shared heritage.”
