Gadag: The right-wing activists affiliated with Sri Rama Sene are reported to have heckled the headmaster of a government school in Karnataka's Gadag district over an essay competition for which the students were asked to write about Prophet Muhammed.
Sri Rama Sene also accused headmaster Abdul Munafar Bijapur of indulging in religious conversion of the students, referring to the essay writing.
Reports suggested that the act of Sri Rama Sene activists in the Government High School in Nagavi village had put other people in the school in a state of shock. Abdul Munafar Bijapur, who has 28 years of experience in teaching, said it was seven teachers who came to rescue him from that aggravated situation.
The essay competition was held to improve the handwriting of students when someone offered a cash prize, suggesting a book on which it was to be held, said Abdul.
He said he was upset over the allegation that he was promoting Islam, adding that such competitions would be held monthly whereupon students would be asked to write essays on different personalities whereby students would be introduced to historic figures, besides improving their handwriting.
In the past as well essay competitions were held when students were asked to write on Kanaka Dasa, Purandara Dasa and other personalities, said Abdul, who has been the headmaster of the school for three years.
The headmaster also held that the school has reports recorded on programmes conducted on Hindu personalities and events.
Meanwhile, Sri Rama Sene defended the incident arguing that they had gone there to question the Headmaster over the essay writing on Prophet Muhammed. The Sene is on the stand that a school should not have held a programme that could indulge seeing other communities in a bad light by promoting Islam among the young minds.
The deputy director of public instruction, Gadag, GM Basavalingappa said that he has ordered an inquiry into the incident. He added that he is writing letters to senior officials about the incident.