Madhya Pradesh government suspends private school's license amid hijab row
What's the story
The recognition of Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district has been officially suspended, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Friday. The state government was investigating the private school amid numerous claims that the school was allegedly forcing its girl students to wear hijabs regardless of their religion, said reports.
Details
Irregularities led to school's license suspension: Chouhan
As per Chouhan, certain "irregularities" were detected with the private school, and that is why the state government made the decision to cancel its recognition with immediate effect. "Any kind of negligence will not be tolerated with my nephews and nieces and Madhya Pradesh government is committed to take strictest action against such acts," the CM tweeted in Hindi.
Twitter Post
Twitter post by MP CM Chouhan
दमोह के एक विद्यालय में अनियमितताएँ पाए जाने पर उसकी मान्यता तत्काल प्रभाव से निरस्त कर दी गयी।
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) June 2, 2023
मेरे भांजे-भांजियों के साथ किसी भी प्रकार की लापरवाही बर्दाश्त नहीं की जायेगी एवं मध्यप्रदेश सरकार ऐसे कृत्यों के विरुद्ध कठोर से कठोर कार्रवाई करने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध है।
More details
Details on Damoh district education officer's letter to school
As per the news outlet The Indian Express, the Damoh district education officer sent a post-inspection letter to Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School on Friday. According to the report, the letter stated that "it has been reported that the prescribed criteria mentioned in the Recognition Rules 2017 and Recognition Amendment Rules 2020 were not being not followed in the school."
Know more
Letter also flagged school's lack of facilities for its students
The letter further stated that the school lacks a proper library, practical materials for chemistry/physics, separate toilets for boys and girls, and pure drinking water for its students. "As a result of prima facie non-compliance of conditions and responsibilities and instructions issued from time to time, the school's license is suspended with immediate effect," it added.
Further information
All you need to know about school hijab row
A massive row erupted amid claims that a poster in Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School allegedly showed girls, including Hindu students, wearing headscarves that allegedly looked like hijab. At the time, the local district authority, including the district collector, had reportedly stated that even there were claims "of religious conversion but it was not found to be true."