Two teachers in Kerala have been sent on leave for distributing a brochure with a “Maths Prayer” and pictures of Goddess Saraswathi and “Om” among students. The actions sparked protests from parents and local teachers who demanded that the teachers be removed from the school. Around 80% of the students at the school are Muslims.
The pamphlet in question was distributed to students of the 5th standard from the Azhikode government UP school. It contained a Ganita Prarthana (Maths Prayer) which the kids were asked to recite daily to improve their understanding of the subject. The Parents Teachers Association (PTA) Meeting demanded that the teachers be removed from the school as well, following which the authorities decided to send them on leave.
“This is a public school. The allegation is that the teachers used religious symbols, which is against the rules”, said an official. “We need to protect the school. We want the support of everyone for the school. There was carelessness on the part of two teachers”, he said. Meanwhile, Rajalakshmi, the teacher who had composed the prayer, has lodged a police complaint claiming harassment and that she was threatened.
It is now being reported that Campus Front of India, whose parent organisation is the Islamist Popular Front of India (PFI). They had organized demonstrations to build pressure on the school authorities to punish the teachers.
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The PFI has been accused of involvement in the recent violence that erupted across the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
While the Uttar Pradesh police had in December, last year, exposed PFIs link to the violence during anti-CAA protest in the state, an explosive investigation by the Enforcement directorate had also exposed that PFI spent about 120 crores in a month to orchestrate the violent riots in the country. Numerous members of the PFI have been arrested across the country for their involvement in the said riots.