A controversy erupted in Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, after members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad protested a framed Quranic verse displayed above a classroom gate at a government primary school in Nagla Purva village. The activists alleged that assistant teacher Mohammad Nazim was imparting Islamic lessons to students, claims that he and villagers strongly denied.
“I am a government teacher and follow only the prescribed syllabus. No religious lessons were ever given to any child,” Nazim told reporters, calling the accusations baseless and motivated. Videos circulating on social media show activists aggressively questioning teachers and inspecting classrooms, blackboards, and books, moving through the school like an unofficial inspection team.
Protesters also claimed that posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Goddess Saraswati had been removed from the school, allegations that the staff denied. Following a written complaint submitted to the police, the framed verse was taken down. Basic Shiksha Adhikari Alka Sharma suspended both the headmistress, Pushpa Jatav, and assistant teacher Mohammad Nazim, stating that the move was a precautionary measure while an inquiry is conducted. “Action has been taken as a precautionary measure,” she said.
The suspension has drawn criticism from local education activists and residents, who argue that the teacher appears to have been targeted for his religion. “Deciding punishment before a proper probe under pressure from street protests sets a dangerous precedent,” one activist said. A local resident added, “This quiet village school had no prior complaints. The teacher seems targeted only because he is Muslim.”
Muslim community elders in Sambhal expressed concern over a recurring pattern, questioning why similar scrutiny is not applied to other religious symbols in public spaces. The incident has been compared to a 2023 case in Mathura, where a Muslim headmaster was falsely accused of religious coercion and later cleared after a proper inquiry.
