AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A government primary school principal in the Naujheel block of Mathura district, in India’s Uttar Pradesh state, was suspended less than 24 hours after a complaint was filed alleging that Islamic prayers were conducted during instructional hours.
The suspension order against the principal, Jan Mohammad, was issued by Ratan Kirti, the district’s basic education officer. The decision followed a written complaint by Durgesh Pradhan, a local leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Confirming the move, the district education official said that, given the sensitivity of the issue, the principal had been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. Two education officers from the Chhata and Mant blocks have been assigned to examine the case and are required to submit their report within one month. He added that further legal action would be taken if the allegations are substantiated.
The swift suspension has drawn criticism from teachers, parents, and local activists. Critics argue that the principal was effectively presumed guilty without a preliminary inquiry or an opportunity to present a defense. Others point to the political origins of the complaint and the absence of objections from parents as indications of what they describe as the “securitization and politicization” of the issue.
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