Hyderabad BJP corporator booked over school confrontation with Muslim teacher

Hyderabad: Police have registered a suo motu case against BJP corporator Akula Srivani after she and members of a Hindutva organisation allegedly confronted and threatened a Muslim teacher at a private school in Saroornagar.

The incident took place at Sagarika Integrated High School in Sri Venkateshwara Colony, where Srivani and her supporters entered the principal’s office after alleging that a teacher had asked students to remove rakhis from their wrists.

Srivani also alleged that students had been instructed to remove bindis, tilaks and bangles, and claimed that they were being taught against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ram temple in Ayodhya and India’s economic growth.

The teacher reportedly told the group that the rakhis had become dirty and that she had therefore asked students to remove them. During the confrontation, Srivani questioned the teacher and referred to her hijab, asking why she wore it throughout the year if students were being asked to remove religious or cultural items.

A video of the confrontation later circulated on social media. Police said the corporator and her supporters had allegedly created a disturbance and issued threats at the school.

The Saroornagar Police registered the case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to promoting enmity between groups and criminal intimidation. Police said statements from both sides would be recorded and that further action would depend on the investigation.

Speaking outside the school, Srivani urged parents to remain alert about what was being taught to their children. She alleged that some teachers were attempting to influence students against Sanatana Dharma and said such efforts were dangerous.

Reacting to the FIR, Srivani denied making a hate speech or questioning any religion. She claimed that she had visited the school after receiving complaints from students and parents and said the teacher had admitted to asking children to remove the rakhis and had apologised.

“What crimes have I committed for the police to justify registering non-bailable cases against me?” she asked, questioning the basis for registering a case on the basis of a video circulated on social media.

AIMIM youth leader Mohammed Imran Ahmed criticised the confrontation and said complaints about classroom teaching should be addressed through the school management and education authorities.

He said parents should also question the conduct of elected representatives who enter private schools with supporters and turn a matter concerning hygiene into a communal controversy.

Ahmed added that any allegation of religious or political propaganda in classrooms should be investigated on the basis of evidence, rather than through public confrontations or slogans. The police investigation is under way.