UP: ‘Shiksha Jihad’ in Kanpur school, police book directors

Kanpur: The Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday registered an FIR against the directors of the Florets International School here after the complaint and protest by Hindutva activists following a multi-faith worship in the morning assembly.  

According to reports, the directors have been booked under Sections 295A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 5(1) of the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021.  

The FIR was registered against the school late in the evening on August 1. ACP Nishank Sharma, stating that an investigation has been initiated in the case, according to sources.

According to the news portal The Wire, the complaint submitted to the Sismau police station states that “an attempt is being made by the school to pave the way for religious conversion of the students”. It goes on to add that the school is carrying out “Shiksha Jihad” as students are being made to recite an Islamic prayer. The prayer book in question has prayers pertaining to multiple faiths, including the Gayatri Mantra, Sanchi Vaani and a pledge about belonging in India, reported the portal.

School principal Sumit Makhija stated that multi-faith prayers had been part of the morning assembly since the school’s founding in 2003. She, however, added that after this controversy, the management has now decided to stick only to the national anthem during the morning assembly.

“There is surely no intention of promoting any one religion,” the principal clarified.

“It has been a practice at this school for years. The school diary has verses from all major religions including Hindu, Sikhism, Christianity, and Islam written in the diary. Reciting verses was started as a practice to give equal respect to all religions. Now all of a sudden, a group of Hindu radicals and some parents have opposed it,” she told IANS.

As per reports, Vishwa Hindu Parishad district president Yuvraj Dwivedi objected to the recitation of “Islamic prayers” saying that he was deeply worried over this. He said, “After the protests our complaint has been taken into account and an FIR has been registered. We feel there is a bigger conspiracy at play here.” – INDIA NEWS STREAM