MP Govt preparing for bulldozer drive against school hit by hijab row

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra has claimed that the accused involved in the alleged ‘religious conversion’ issue in a Damoh-based school are being detained by the police. Without elaborating much about the ongoing investigation in the matter, the minister said the police was looking for those on the run.

He also indicated that the state administration is likely to carry out a ‘bulldozer operation’ against the Damoh-based Ganga Jamuna school where the controversy broke out with a poster of girl student toppers in hijab, which has now turned out to be an alleged ‘religious conversion’. A FIR against the school management was lodged a few days back.

“The investigation is still underway and the accused are being arrested one after another. The police have also launched a search for those on the run. Those involved in the case will not be spared and bulldozer action will also be carried out,” Mishra said, adding that “layers of crime are being peeled away one after another. Things will become clearer once the police completes it’s investigation.”

This incident has been taking new twists in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh. The leaders and ministers of the ruling BJP are accusing the officials, including the Damoh district collector, of being ‘biased’ in their investigation and are pushing for a high level inquiry into the matter. The BJP has also alleged that the incident has a ‘terror funding’ link.

Now, a fresh allegation has been made by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairman Priyank Kanoongo, who claimed that the Ganga Jamuna School group was running a hostel in Bhopal which was also being used for alleged ‘religious conversion’. It has demanded a probe into it.

The controversy broke out at the private English medium school Ganga Jamuna when a poster of topper students, including Hindu girls, wearing the hijab emerged. Amid allegations of ‘religious conversion’ and ‘terror funding’, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter.