Allahabad : The manager of a private school who was arrested for allegedly banning the national anthem was sent to jail on Monday.
The principal and eight teachers of MA Convent School, which is not recognised by the education department, have quit to protest against the alleged ban imposed by manager Zia-ul Haq. The district administration has constituted a three-member team to probe the incident and authorities have issued an order to seal the school.
“The education department has been requested to arrange shifting of nearly 300 students enrolled there to some other school so that their studies do not suffer,” officiating district magistrate Andra Vamsi said.
“A magisterial probe has also been ordered to look into how the school was allowed to run for two decades without any clearance from authorities.
“Moreover, the school’s manager has reportedly said that he has never allowed recital of the national anthem ever since the school started,” Vamsi said.
Haq has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for banning the national anthem in morning assembly and running the institute illegally.
He told teachers that singing of the national anthem could not be allowed as the phrase ‘Bharat Bhagya Vidhata’ went against the tenets of Islam, alleged the teachers who resigned on Friday.
The news of the manager being sent to prison sparked unrest and led to clashes outside the school in Bada Baghara locality on Monday. Authorities tightened vigil and detained five people.
Tension has gripped the locality since the teachers quit to protest against the manager’s alleged move. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and residents staged a protest outside the school on Sunday evening.
“We are taking all preventing measures to avert a communal clash. RAF and PAC personnel are carrying out a flag march in the area and the situation is tense but under control,” Vamsi said.
