LUCKNOW: While a case of treason against two teachers and a Muslim cleric was filed in Badgo locality of Maharajganj district after a video surfaced, purportedly showing them trying to prevent madarsa students from singing the national anthem during Independence Day celebrations, the Madarsa Education Board of Uttar Pradesh has proceeded to suspend the licence and registration of the institution here on Tuesday.
Taking a strong note of the incident, the Madrasa Board released the orders of suspension of licence and registration of Madarsa Arabia Ahle Sunnat Anware Tayyaba Girls College in Maharajganj district. As per the sources, the madarsa board will call a meeting to propose the cancellation of the registration of the institution soon.
The controversy erupted during Independence Day celebrations when the madarsa staff and children gathered to hoist the national flag. A video shot on the occasion went viral showing cleric Junaid Ansari, who is not associated with the madarsa, was allegedly seen stopping children and staff from singing the national anthem.
Seeking the report from District Minority Officer (DMO) after the video, the board had claimed that it might cancel the registration, suspend all financial assistance under the government's madarsa modernization scheme and initiate action against the madarsa in question.
As per Madarsa Education Board registrar, SN Pandey, instructions were issued all madarsas on August 13 to celebrate the I-Day with usual fanfare. The video of the madarsa in question allegedly showed some anti-social elements trying to prevent madarsa students from singing national anthem after flag hoisting. Pandey shared that the DMO report confirmed that no office bearer of madarsa management committee was present during the independence day celebrations in the institution.
"This shows the disinterest of management in running the madarsa. Besides, the main accused Junaid Ansari, madarsa principal Fazalurrahman has also been arrested in the incident," Pandey said. He added the DMO report indicated that number of students in madras were less than what is required to be eligible for government aid and other sops. Even the logistics and infrastructure was not up to the mark. "So its licence and registration stands suspended with immediate effect and in the next meeting of the Board, a proposal for its cancellation will be brought," he noted.
Meanwhile, as per Additional superintendent of police (ASP) Ashutosh Tripathi, a case was registered against Junaid and two other people under Sections 124-A (sedition) and 153B (imputation assertion prejudicial to national integrity) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, Criminal Law (Amendment) Act and the Information Technology Act on the complaint of Sunil Tripathi, who teaches science under Madarsa Modernisation Scheme. Sunil Tripathi also handed over the video clip to authorities showing Junaid opposing singing of national anthem. Junaid was arrested on Wednesday while efforts were on to nab the other two accused, police said.
