RANCHI: A public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on 'Islamization' of schools in the state has been filed in the Jharkhand High Court by social activist Pankaj Yadav.
The petitioner, in his PIL, has mentioned that the 'Islamization' of schools has already taken place in at least six districts, including Jamtara, Pakur and Garhwa, in the Muslim-dominated areas of Jharkhand, where Urdu is being added forcefully before the names on school boards and Fridays are being given as weekly holidays instead of Sundays.
In addition to that, Yadav mentioned in his PIL, that some of the "Islamic radicals are trying to impose Sharia and Islamic practices on minor school children and have forcefully changed the school age-old prayer and also forced children to not join hands during prayers."
Notably, nearly 100 schools under Karmatand, Narayanpur and Jamtara Blocks in Jamtara were forced by the villagers to observe a weekly holiday on Fridays instead of Sundays, citing reasons that Muslims are in majority therefore, it should function accordingly.
Though Friday holidays were restored in Jamtara following the intervention of the district administration, the petitioner claims that so far information about schools being kept closed on Friday has come from ten districts, and if investigated properly, the number of districts may rise. The petitioner alleged that such "unconstitutional and immoral acts" are being done in Jharkhand under a big conspiracy.
“The PIL demanding a probe in this regard and action against those schools which have been doing so was filed by Pankaj Mishra on Thursday. We have also demanded action against those who are involved in such activities,” said petitioner’s advocate Rajeev Kumar.
“If it has to be decided on the basis of the population whether a school will be a Hindi or Urdu medium, none of the schools will remain Urdu in the State as Hindus are more than 70-75 per cent all over the State,” said the advocate. Due to this, not only the academic environment is getting spoiled in the government schools of Jharkhand, but religious and social harmony is also at stake, the petitioner said in his petition.
The petitioner also informed through his petition that Hindu students were not enrolled in a school in Garhwa only because the number of Muslim students in that school was high. Many schools in Ranchi were "Islamized" and the administration is sitting silent, he added.
The petitioner also informed through his petition that, following the orders by School Education and Literacy Minister Jagarnath Mahto, Schools in Jamtara were opened on Friday, but students and teachers were not allowed to enter the school.
Chief Secretary, DGP, School Education and Literacy Department Secretary, Director Primary Education, DC Latehar, DC Jamtara, and DC Garhwa, have been made respondents in the PIL.