A school Correspondent, Principal, and Urdu teacher in Armoor in Nizamabad district of Telangana have been booked for promoting enmity between religious groups, after workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and parents entered the premises of the institution and created ruckus accusing them of teaching Hindu students the Kalima as part of Urdu lessons.
Several organisations have called for a Nizamabad bandh on Monday, June 29, according to a report by Siasat daily.
Vandula Balu, BJP's Armoor president allegedly slapped and verbally abused principal Amer Khan during the confrontation. The Kalimas in Islam refers to the basic beliefs of Muslims.
The incident happened on June 27 at Bharat Chandra School, a private institution in Armoor. Armoor SHO P Satyanarayana told TNM that cases have been registered against both parties.
Police have booked around 20 persons, including Balu, for trespassing, threatening, and assault, while school Correspondent Mallaiah, Principal Amer Khan, and Urdu teacher Hyna face the charge of promoting religious enmity between groups (BNS Section 196).
According to Amer Khan, during the time of admissions, some Muslim parents had requested the school to teach Urdu to their kids. “I said I would talk to management and promised to see if we can implement it from the coming academic year,” he told the media after the incident.
In June, when admissions began, a teacher was appointed by the school Correspondent Mallaiah, Amer said. “The subject was finalised by him, my job was just to create a timetable and implement them,” according to Amer Khan.
A couple of days ago, some Hindu parents came and asked why they were teaching their kids Urdu, he said. “One parent said their child told them I was teaching them how to do namaz, they used abusive language against me asking if I was doing love jihad,” Amer Khan said.
According to Amer Khan, they intended to separate Muslim students for the Urdu class, but could not do so because of construction work. “Because there wasn’t an extra classroom, the teacher taught Urdu while the other kids were in the same room, and the Hindu kids ended up writing it down. How is that our fault?” asked Amer Khan.
Amer Khan said when parents arrived to complain on June 27, they told them classes have been suspended because of apprehensions expressed by parents and will begin once doubts are cleared. “Then these BJP guys came and started a ruckus. Nandula Balu along with others started beating me up,” he alleged.
After he was slapped, the Correspondent tried to move him aside but he was hit again, he said. “Someone assaulted me with his knee,” Amer Khan alleged.
Amer Khan said the Urdu teacher who had joined three-four days ago did not know that the kids should be separated before teaching.
“The BJP workers abused us badly, they abused the Correspondent too asking if he had taken money to allow Urdu in school. The police made me sit on the floor in my own office. I had to sit there for over an hour,” Amer Khan alleged.
According to him, the children were taught Urdu alphabets and nothing else. “I didn’t teach namaz to anyone, I have been teaching in schools for 15 years. We were only teaching ‘alif bay tay’ (Urdu alphabet), nothing else,” he said.
Mohammed Mubashir, a social media handle associated with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) posted on X tagging Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the state DGP: "How your men treated a principal like a criminal is not acceptable. We Muslims in #Telangana are warning @revanth_anumula that if strict action is not taken against those BJP goons and Armoor PS staff, this will cost you and your party politically."
Amjed Ullah Khan, spokesperson of Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT), wrote on X, commenting on the incident: "Telangana is gradually becoming a laboratory of RSS under the watch of the Congress Government. Strongly condemn the attack on an Urdu Teacher of Bharat Chandra High School in Armoor, Nizamabad District, by alleged RSS/BJP workers."
Amjed Ullah Khan also said that, what is even more shocking is that the attack reportedly took place in the presence of the Inspector and Sub-Inspector of Police, Armoor Town. "Since Sri P. Sai Chaitanya IPS took charge as Commissioner of Police, Nizamabad, there have been repeated attacks on members of the Minority community while the police administration remains a mute spectator," he alleged.