UP school principal suspended, booked over 'Islamic' prayer after saffron outfit's protest

The principal of a government school in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district was suspended after protests by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal (BD) workers, who alleged that the students were made to recite 'Mere Allah burai se bachana mujhko' (Save us from sins God) which they termed an 'Islamic' prayer recited at the 'madarasas' (Islamic schools).

A case was also registered by the police against the Principal Nahid Siddique and a contractual teacher Bajaruddin charging them with hurting the religious sentiments and disturbing peace, according to the police sources here.

The saffron outfits staged a demonstration demanding action against the principal and the teacher after a video purportedly showing some students reciting the prayer went viral on social networking sites on Thursday.

The VHP leaders said that the prayer was aimed at encouraging the students to 'convert'. ''Such prayers are recited at the madarsas....they are not recited at other schools....the students have been reciting the prayer for a long time...it's a deliberate attempt to hurt our religious sentiments,'' a senior district VHP leader claimed.

Police officials said in Bareilly that an investigation had been launched into the matter. ''We have recorded the statements of several students....action will be taken if any illegality is found,'' said a senior police official on Friday.

District education officials said that the prayer was not 'approved' and that the principal had been suspended and an inquiry had been initiated into the matter.

Earlier also action was taken against a principal after the students of the school where he was posted were heard reciting a prayer, which was penned by a Muslim poet, and had Urdu words though it contained lines stating that 'Hindustan' was the best country in the world.