AICC secretary and MLA Dipika Pandey Singh on Tuesday shot a letter to chief minister Hemant Soren demanding a high level inquiry into a recent controversy into three Sanskrit schools denying registration to Muslim students for Madhyama examination.
Singh who represents Mahagama assembly constituency as the Congress MLA said that this is a high time to take strong action otherwise it will promote a dangerous trend of the communalisation of education.
She said that after the matter came to light the HRD department suspended a principal whereas the show cause notice was issued to principals of two other affiliated schools.
“As per the media report these principals were verbally instructed by Kaushal Mishra; the coordinator of Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) not to take admission of Muslim students and it has also come to light that in 2019 also Sanskrit schools principals were verbally instructed to discourage admission of Muslim students. Strangely no action has been taken against Mishra and JAC has maintained a silence on this issue. This is an attempt of the communalization of education that never happened in Jharkhand earlier. This is against the fundamental rights of the constitution and also right to education,” Pandey said.
West Singhbhum district administration suspended Veena Kumari, principal of Chaibasa Government Sanskrit School whereas principals of Sanskrit schools namely Ganesh Kumar of Adivasi Sanskrit Uccha Vidyalaya at Chakradharepur and Dushasan Mahto of Adivashi Sanskrit Uccha Vidyalaya at Budhiguttu to explain as why affiliation to their school should not be cancelled.
They allegedly had stopped admission on verbal instruction of Mishra who is reported to have told principals that since Muslims don’t read Vedas and there is Madarsha board for them hence minority students should not be enrolled in Sanskrit schools.
After the controversy flared-up JAC hastily clarified that no such verbal and written instruction has been given to schools and Sanskrit schools can’t reject any student on the religious ground.
Due to intervention of JAC on the last day of the submission of the form; 78 Muslim students were enrolled for Madhyama examination which is equivalent to matriculation.