Ahmedabad: In a disturbing incident, members affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and other right-wing organizations physically assaulted a teacher following the Kalorex Future School Ahmedabad’s efforts to promote interfaith harmony.
The altercation ensued after a Muslim student, as part of the Rabbiul Awwal (Islamic Month) celebrations, demonstrated Islamic prayer during the school assembly. Subsequently, in a display of unity, four Hindu students joined the Muslim student in singing “Lab pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri.” The video of this inclusive activity was shared on the Kalorex Future School’s Facebook page.
The video, aimed at showcasing the diverse religious practices of the students and encouraging mutual understanding, unfortunately sparked outrage among certain groups. This resentment culminated in an attack by ABVP members, specifically targeting one of the teachers who was part of the program.
Parents, however, expressed varied opinions regarding the school’s approach. While the majority commended the institution’s initiative to foster harmony and appreciated the efforts to familiarize students with diverse religious practices, a section voiced their preference for a primary focus on Hindu festivals and the teachings of Sanatan Dharma.
School authorities defended their inclusive approach, explaining that introducing students to various religious occasions was an effective method to promote secularism and cultural understanding.
“For the past two years, we’ve been employing festivals, be it Ganesh Chaturthi or others, as mediums for promoting secularism through assembly celebrations. For instance, during Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi, students and parents are encouraged to come prepared to engage in the respective festivities,” a school official was quoted as saying by Vibes of India website.
Notably, the school has been actively organizing celebrations centered around different festivals to educate students about diverse cultures and traditions. Apart from the Eid festivities, the school has also showcased Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Onam, allowing students from various backgrounds to participate in the events.
Journalist and AltNews Co-Founder Mohammed Zubair shared details of the incident on his ‘X’ (former known as Twitter) account and stated “After Kalorex future school’s FB page shared a video of a school student offering namaz & four others later joined him in singing “lab pe aati hai dua”. ‘Activists’ of the ABVP & other RW organisations beat up one of the teachers seen during the program.
In another Tweet, he wrote “Other than Eid celebration, Here are a few other Facebook posts by the school Kalorex Future School, Ghatlodia celebrating Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam. ABVP didn’t have any problem with other celebration but Eid”
