AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A recent controversy in Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, India, erupted after a framed verse from the Quran was displayed above a classroom in a government primary school in the village of Nagla Purwa, prompting sharp reactions from Hindu organizations and the suspension of two school staff members.
Members of the groups Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad, upon discovering the Quranic frame, visited the school and demanded immediate action against the staff. They argued that religious symbols should not be present in government educational institutions and claimed that teacher Muhammad Nazim was imparting Islamic teachings to students, an allegation strongly denied by Nazim and several local residents.
“I am a government teacher, and I only follow the approved curriculum. No religious instruction has been given to any student,” Nazim told reporters, describing the accusations as baseless and motivated by specific agendas.
Videos circulated from the incident show protesters confronting teachers with a harsh tone while inspecting classrooms, blackboards, and books, actions observers described as an unofficial inspection. Protesters also claimed that images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and the goddess Saraswati had been removed from the school, a claim school staff denied.
Following a formal complaint and police presence, the framed verse was removed. Alka Sharma, head of the district’s primary education office, confirmed that Principal Pushpa Jatav and teacher Muhammad Nazim were temporarily suspended and that an official investigation had been launched. “This action has been taken as a precautionary measure,” she said.
Educational activists and some local residents criticized the decision as hasty. One activist stated, “Punishing staff before a thorough investigation, under street pressure, sets a dangerous precedent.” A local resident added, “This rural school has had no prior complaints, and it seems the teacher was targeted solely for being Muslim.”
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