Kutch: A play on Eid-al-Adha, performed by students who were seen wearing skull caps, has led the Education Department to order the suspension of the school principal at a private school on the outskirts of the port town of Mundra in Gujarat's Kutch district.
Priti Vaswani, the Principal of Pearl School of Excellence and Value Education, has been suspended after a video of the play went viral on social media, prompting the District Development Officer (DDO) of Kutch, SK Prajapati, to order the school management to suspend her.
The video, which quickly gained traction online, captured moments of the students' performance during the play. Some students were seen wearing skull caps, while others had their heads covered with handkerchiefs. The footage depicted them offering prayers and exchanging greetings as one of them spoke about the festival Bakrid.
District Primary Education Officer Sanjay Parmar referred to the act as a "heen krutya (lowly act)" and condemned the school for allegedly asking Hindu students to wear Muslim skull caps.
The DDO further stated that the DPEO had dispatched a team of taluka education officers to investigate the matter and submit a detailed report. Meanwhile, the school's trust complied with the instructions and suspended Principal Priti Vaswani, notifying the authorities accordingly.
After the incident sparked controversy, Principal Vaswani promptly expressed her apologies through a video statement posted on the school's social media account. Addressing the parents, she clarified that the Eid-related activity conducted on June 28 was not intended to hurt or harm anyone.
However, if anyone's feelings had been hurt or inconvenienced, she apologized and assured that no activity or competition would be organized in the future to hurt the sentiments of any organization or parents.
The incident has sparked a debate about religious sensitivity and cultural inclusivity in educational institutions. The school, affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), caters to both Muslim and Hindu students. While no complaints had been received from students or parents regarding the celebration, the DPEO emphasized that asking Hindu students to wear Muslim skull caps was inappropriate.