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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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
