Students protest, confess they were pressured to give false statements on Muslim teachers
Three Muslim teachers in Rajasthan were suspended amid allegations of Love-Jihad
In a school in Kota, Rajasthan, three Muslim teachers – Firoz Khan, Mirza Mujahid, and Shabana – faced suspension following allegations of forced conversion, love jihad, and Islamic Jihadi activities by the Hindutva group 'Sarv Hindu Samaj.' However, Hindu students from the same school, Khajuri village, protested the suspension, marching several kilometers to the SDM office in Sangod town.
The Hindu students demanded the reinstatement of the suspended Muslim teachers, denouncing the accusations and urging action against those who made false claims. During the protest, students were emotional, some even admitting they were pressured to make false allegations against the teachers.
A 10th-grade student, under the alias Naveen, stated that he was not forced to offer namaz but was coerced into making false accusations against the Muslim teachers. He expressed regret, emphasizing the positive influence the teachers had on his life.
In a video that is now available on social media platforms, he says, “They were continuously telling me that you are a Hindu and told me things to say in the interview. I got trapped in their words and committed a mistake I should have never done. These are ours, and how can I lie against them? What I am today is because of them.”
The 15 Hindu teachers at the school wrote to the district education department, refuting claims of forced conversion, love jihad, and namaz activities by the suspended teachers. The school's staff, management committee, and the village sarpanch all denied knowledge of such activities.
The controversy appears linked to a love marriage between a local Hindu woman and a Muslim man. However, residents and police officials noted that the incident involved adults, and the woman stated she married of her free will.
Local police officials also said forced religious conversion or ‘love jihad’ activities have never been reported in the area or the school. They cited the incident of a Hindu woman reported missing on Feb 5, being traced on Feb 5 and saying she married a Muslim man out of her free will. “The girl was an adult and said she married as per her will,” said DSP Rajulal Meena.
I never witnessed any such activities or heard of students or parents complaining against the three teachers about conversion or love jihad. I have been working at this school since 2021,” said school principal Kamlesh Bairwa
The School Management and Development Committee (SMDC) president, Lokesh Gochar, dismissed the allegations as rumors, attributing them to a human error in 2019 when a Hindu girl was mistakenly listed as Muslim in admission forms.
“These are all rumours and baseless allegations against the three Muslim teachers. I am a frequent visitor to the school as my agriculture land adjoins it, and I never heard of or seen any such activities.” Gochar said.
Sarpanch Sushila Kanwar confirmed that no conversion activities were reported at the school.
Thread 🧵
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) February 27, 2024
After Three Muslim teachers Firoz Khan, Mirza Mujahid, and Shabana were suspended from a school in Kota, Rajasthan following Hindutva group 'Sarv Hindu Samaj' accusing them of being involved in Forced conversion, love jihad and Islamic Jihadi activities. Hindu Students… pic.twitter.com/duTXYDNbft
School students were seen protesting against the suspension of three Muslim teachers at Sangod school over the allegations of 'conversion and love jihad'. They were seen crying and saying some students were forced to make false allegations against these Muslim teachers. pic.twitter.com/BrfnDcajgs
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) February 27, 2024
A 10th class student Naveen ( Name changed ) said he was NOT forced to offer namaz but was forced and pressured to level false allegations against these three Muslim teachers in front of the media. He broke down while speaking to the media.
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) February 27, 2024
He says, They were continuously… pic.twitter.com/AJMrBZsFcd
School students in Khajuri village of Rajasthan’s Kota district gathered outside the SDM Office in Sangod demanding revocation of suspension of 3 Muslim teachers of their school who according to them are falsely accused of 'forced conversion and love jihad'
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) February 27, 2024
- Video by… pic.twitter.com/NDk9KAwj48
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CJI Gavai flags absence of Chief Secretary, DGP during Maharashtra visit; Calls it protocol lapse
Stresses importance of constitutional respect between judiciary, executive, and legislature
Mumbai: Chief Justice of India Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai on Sunday expressed concern over a perceived lapse in protocol during his first visit to Maharashtra after assuming office. Addressing a felicitation event organised by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in Mumbai, the CJI noted the absence of senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), and Mumbai Police Commissioner, upon his arrival in the city.
Gavai, who hails from Maharashtra and became the second Dalit to be appointed as the CJI, highlighted that the absence of these key officials was disappointing and warranted introspection.
“When a person from Maharashtra becomes the Chief Justice of India and visits Maharashtra for the first time, if the Chief Secretary, DGP, or the Police Commissioner don’t consider it appropriate to be present, then they need to reflect on that,” Gavai said.
Emphasising that protocol is not a ceremonial formality but a reflection of institutional respect, the Chief Justice remarked, “Protocols are not something new — it’s a question of the respect one constitutional body gives to another.”
He also spoke on the importance of maintaining mutual respect among the three pillars of democracy, the judiciary, legislature, and executive. “Such courtesies are indicative of how constitutional bodies value each other’s roles,” he added.
In a lighter vein, Gavai quipped that had another Chief Justice been in his place, the matter might have invoked Article 142 of the Constitution, a provision that empowers the Supreme Court to pass any order necessary for doing complete justice.
Justice Gavai assumed office as the Chief Justice of India last month, becoming only the second Dalit to hold the position in the country’s judicial history.
