Inquiry ordered after allegations of students being asked to remove religious threads at Garhwa school

Nityanand Dubey 

Garhwa

The district administration has ordered an inquiry into allegations that students at the Upgraded High School in Ramkanda block of Jharkhand’s Garhwa district were asked to remove kalava (sacred Hindu threads) tied around their wrists and religious lockets worn around their necks during school hours.

The allegations sparked protests from parents and local residents, prompting the district administration to direct the Education Department to conduct a fact-finding inquiry. Officials have said that further action, if any, will be taken only after the investigation is completed.

According to parents and villagers, an Arabic teacher at the school allegedly asked some students on Wednesday to remove the religious symbols they were wearing. It is also alleged that a few students who objected were reprimanded. The issue came to light after the students informed their families on returning home. The teacher concerned has not made any official statement on the allegations.

Following the incident, parents and villagers assembled at the school premises and demanded action against the teacher. They contended that students should not be compelled to remove articles associated with their religious faith and emphasised that educational institutions must respect the beliefs of all communities. The situation remained tense for some time before normalcy was restored through the intervention of local residents and the school administration.

Acting on the directions of Deputy Commissioner Pashupatinath Mishra, an inquiry team from the Education Department visited the school and recorded statements from the headmaster, the teacher concerned, students and their parents. The team is examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether students were asked to remove the religious articles and, if so, the reasons for doing so. Relevant documents and other records have also been collected as part of the inquiry.

Mishra said the administration was conducting an impartial and fact-based investigation. He said that statements of all stakeholders and the available evidence would be examined before any conclusions were drawn. Appropriate action would be taken in accordance with the law if any violation of rules was established during the inquiry.

The district administration has appealed to the public to maintain peace and cooperate with the investigation. The school administration, meanwhile, said that regular classes were continuing and efforts were being made to ensure that the academic environment remained unaffected.