FIR against managing director of school caught in a storm over recital of religious prayers

The school on Monday announced that it had stopped the recitation of religious prayers during the morning assembly after the right-wing protests over the inclusion of some Islamic verses in the decade-old practice followed by the institution.The school management had also clarified that the Gayatri Mantra and the Gurbani were also recited during the morning assembly as part of its Sarva Dharma Samman all religions are equal philosophy.Meanwhile, Basic Shiksha Adhikari BSA Surjeet Kumar Singh visited the school on Tuesday and questioned Makhija on the directions of the district magistrate.

An FIR was registered against the managing director of a private school here on Tuesday after some parents and right-wing members objected to the recitation of Islamic verses during the morning assembly.

''A case has been registered against Sumeet Makhija, managing director, Florets International School under IPC section 295A (deliberate malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and section 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021,'' Assistant Commissioner of Police (Seesamau) Nishank Sharma said.

The case was registered following a complaint by a parent Ravi Rajpoot, he said. The school on Monday announced that it had stopped the recitation of religious prayers during the morning assembly after the right-wing protests over the inclusion of some Islamic verses in the decade-old practice followed by the institution.

The school management had also clarified that the Gayatri Mantra and the Gurbani were also recited during the morning assembly as part of its 'Sarva Dharma Samman' (all religions are equal) philosophy.

Meanwhile, Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Surjeet Kumar Singh visited the school on Tuesday and questioned Makhija on the directions of the district magistrate. The authorities were also instructed to submit the documents regarding the school and its building, Singh said. The Florets International School had announced a holiday on Monday after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers held a demonstration, claiming that students were being compelled to recite the 'Kalima Tayyab'.

"We had announced a holiday on Monday after VHP and BJP workers held a demonstration, claiming that students were being compelled to recite the Kalima. It has also been decided to keep the school close for two more days on Tuesday and Wednesday,'' Makhija told PTI over phone. The controversy erupted after a parent tweeted that students at the two-decade old institution were being "compelled" to recite the 'Kalima Tayyab'.

PTI CORR ABN SRY

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