'Kalima' recital during morning prayers: FIR against Kanpur school manager

KANPUR: The managing director of a private school in Kanpur had a case registered against them after some parents and right-wing members raised objections to the recitation of Islamic verses during the assembly on Tuesday morning.

"A case has been registered against Sumeet Makhija, managing director, Florets International School under IPC section 295A (deliberate malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and section 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021," Assistant Commissioner of Police (Seesamau) Nishank Sharma said.

He said that the case was registered on the complaint of the parent Ravi Rajpoot.

The school announced on Monday that it had suspended the recitation of religious prayers during morning assemblies following right-wing protests over the inclusion of certain Islamic verses in the decades-old ritual followed by the institution.

The school management had also clarified that the Gayatri Mantra and the Gurbani were also recited during the morning assembly as part of its 'Sarva Dharma Samman' (all religions are equal) philosophy.

Meanwhile, under the direction of the district magistrate, Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Surjeet Kumar Singh visited the school on Tuesday and questioned Makhija.

The authorities were also instructed to submit the documents regarding the school and its building, Singh said.

The Florets International School had announced a holiday on Monday after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers held a demonstration, claiming that students were being compelled to recite the 'Kalima Tayyab'.

"We had announced a holiday on Monday after VHP and BJP workers held a demonstration, claiming that students were being compelled to recite the Kalima.

The controversy erupted after a parent tweeted that students of the two-decade-old institution were being forced to recite 'Kalima Tayyab'.

"It has also been decided to keep the school closed for two more days on Tuesday and Wednesday," Makhija told PTI over the phone.

With PTI inputs