Allahabad: Politics is now being played over national anthem in Allahabad after the school manager banned its recital on Independence Day. The administrator of MA Convent School has been arrested and a sedition case has been registered against him.
The principal and seven other teachers have resigned after the administration banned singing of anthem for August 15 celebrations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party workers demanded strict action against the school management.
"If anyone desires to run a country on any religion then he or she should move to that country. If anyone wants to kick the Constitution but demands the rights under the constitution that will not be acceptable," BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said.
On the same page with BJP, Congress leader RPN Singh said, "Kisi bhi educational institute me national anthem par rok nahi lagna chahiye. Jaanch ho aur action lia jaye. (There should be no ban on singing national anthem in any educational institute. A probe should be conducted and guilty should be punished)."
A three-member committee is probing the incident against the school in Baghara locality of the city and maintained that it was not recognised by the education department.
The school has refused to allow recital of the national anthem by students and staff members on Independence Day, claiming that its words violated the tenets of Islam.
Zia-ul Haq, the school manager, told the teachers that singing of the national anthem could not be allowed as the phrase 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhata' in its first stanza went against the tenets of Islam, according to the teachers who resigned two days ago.
The manager said that if they were not in agreement with this "policy" of the school, they could leave.
"Most of us have been working here for not a very long time. We were shocked to learn from the management that the school has never allowed the singing of national anthem in the last 12 years.
"Since we had been asked to fall in line or leave, we chose a decision based on our conscience," Ritu Tripathi, who was the principal, said.
The school has around 300 students.
She said, "Seven of my colleagues have put in their papers in protest against this attitude of the school management".
Haq, on his part, stuck to his guns asserting "only Allah can be the Bhagya Vidhata, which means the one who decides our destiny. How can we call Bharat our Bhagya Vidhata?"
The Basic Shiksha Adhikari of Allahabad, Jaikaran Yadav, said, "We are surprised to learn that the school is still running.
"It is not duly recognised by the Basic Shiksha department and we had sent its management a notice to close the institution about a week ago."
He said a probe is on in the matter and action will be taken as per law.
(With inputs from PTI)
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