Skip to main content

Muslim teachers' suspension meant to create maximum polarization in Rajasthan: CASR

Counterview Desk

The civil rights network*, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), opposing what it called "arbitrary suspension" of three Muslim teachers from a higher secondary school in Rajasthan, has said that the school management acted on allegations by a local Hindutva organization, Sarv Hindu Samaj, which raised a furore regarding their presence in the village school. 
The allegations, said CASR, not only tarnished the reputation of these educators, but also sought to "perpetuate a climate of discrimination and prejudice within educational institutions, which is detrimental to the very essence of these institutions and what they strive to be." 
"It is important to note that students of the school organized a gathering in front of the Sub-Division Magistrate’s office against the suspension of their teachers", it added in a statement.

Text:

It is beyond problematic that Firoz Khan, Mirza Mujahid and Shabana, teachers at Higher Senior Secondary School Khajuri, Rajasthan, were suspended from their jobs on 21st February 2024 under the allegations of being involved in “Islamic Jihadist activities,” “religious conversions” and “love jihad.” The school acted on allegations pursued by local brahmanical Hindutva fascist organization Sarv Hindu Samaj which raised a furore regarding the presence of Muslim teachers in the village school. 
Such allegations, apart from tarnishing the reputation of these educators, perpetuate a climate of discrimination and prejudice within educational institutions, which is detrimental to the very essence of these institutions and what they strive to be. It is important to note that students of the school organized a gathering in front of the Sub-Division Magistrate’s office against the suspension of their teachers by walking  from their village to Sangod SDM  office on 26th February. 
They have firmly stated that the allegations against their teachers are unfounded, that their educators aspired for communal harmony and that it was the elements of RSS and its local proxy Sarv Hindu Samaj who had been trying to foster communal hatred against oppressed minorities like Muslims in their school from the outside. 
The school-going students even handed a letter of memorandum to the Tehsildar and SDM stating their points and demanding the dismissal of such allegations against their teachers as well as their reinstatement.
We echo the sentiments of the students who have protested against the suspension, some of whom were forced to give false testimonies against the suspended teachers.
The BJP-RSS combine has tried its hardest to harvest the results of the brahmanical Hindutva fascist violence it has laid the seeds for all across India in their goal to establish a “New India,” their “Vision 2047,” a Hindu rashtra itself. 
The teachers were suspended under the allegations of being involved in Islamic Jihadist activities, religious conversions and love jihad
In such a bid, it will target all oppressed minorities, including religious minorities, oppressed nationalities, peasants and workers and is bound to threaten their very existences via genocidal measures, be it the “shoot on sight” orders and subsequent murders of Muslims in Haldwani at the hands of the police, the killing of a 6 month old Adivasi in Bastar, the handing of guns to Hindutva militias in Manipur and the subsequent mass rapes of women conducted by them, the torture of youth in Kashmir at the hands of the Indian army, the incarceration of political prisoners in the anti-CAA/NRC protests or under the dozens of “Maoist links” cases or even situations such as the loss of employment of Dalit academics, or the targeting of Muslim teachers in their sphere of employment. Brahmanical Hindutva fascism seeks to create maximum polarization for the sake of serving its corporate interests.
We call for an immediate reinstatement of Firoz Khan, Mirza Mujahid, and Shabana, who’s suspension rests on no rational grounds, and is thoroughly suggestive of ulterior motives. 
Furthermore, we urge the authorities to conduct an impartial investigation into the allegations against Firoz Khan, Mirza Mujahid, and Shabana. Any disciplinary action should be based on concrete evidence rather than unsubstantiated claims.
We call for the protection of academic freedom and a learning environment free from discrimination and intimidation. Educational institutions should be spaces where diversity is celebrated and respected, not grounds for targeting individuals based on their religious identity.
---
*AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM, CRPP, CTF, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, Progressive Lawyers Association, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, NAPM, Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Smajwadi Lok Manch, Bahujan Samjavadi Manch, SFI, United Against Hate, United Peace Alliance, WSS, Y4S

Comments

TRENDING

Campaign group urges INDIA alliance to release Jharkhand manifesto to counter BJP’s 'divisive' agenda

By Our Representative  The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan, an advocacy group, has issued a press release urging the INDIA alliance to release a Jharkhand-specific manifesto to counter the BJP’s "divisive" electoral agenda. With just two weeks remaining before the assembly elections, the INDIA coalition has yet to announce its plans and priorities for the state. Meanwhile, the BJP's campaign, according to the press release, is centered around communalism, divisiveness, and distraction from Jharkhand's core issues.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor*  Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Israel's 'war crime': 18,000 children died not just from bomb explosions but also starvation

By Sandeep Pandey*  Last year 6 years old Madiha was a guest during Diwali at our home in Lucknow. Listening to the sound of fire crackers bursting outside she remarked, ‘It appears as if we’re in Gaza.’ She has probably no idea of the extent of damage and loss of life that has taken place in Palestine but can relate to sound of crackers as bombs exploding over Gaza.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad*  On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. 

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad*  The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Bid to isolate India globally 'to drive it even closer' to long-time ally, Russia

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The relationship between India and Canada has plunged to unprecedented lows, with both governments seemingly exploiting the situation for their domestic political gains. Canada has long been home to several anti-India elements, with little action taken against them. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984, some of these secessionist groups openly celebrated and issued further threats, particularly from Canada and Britain.  While Britain eventually acted to contain such elements in the interest of maintaining ties with India, Canada did not. Over the years, India has sought the extradition of 23 criminals residing in Canada, but the Canadian government has mostly dismissed these requests, claiming these individuals have no criminal records in their country.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah  The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

How pseudo-liberals 'went wrong' in judging DY Chandrachud as Chief Justice India

By Shamsul Islam*  DY Chandrachud took charge as Chief Justice of the Indian Supreme Court (SC) on November 09, 2022. On this occasion many of the pseudo-liberals who claimed to be defenders of the democratic-secular polity of India manifested great happiness. They declared that the time of SC being an appendage of the RSS-BJP government headed by PM Modi was over as Justice Chandrachud was a liberal judge committed to the democratic-secular polity of India.