The recent controversy surrounding Hilton Convent School in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh has further intensified after the school’s manager, Anurag Saini, officially joined the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in the presence of party president Udai Giri Goswami. This has added a political dimension to the existing issues at the school.
The development comes days after a probe was initiated into the allegations that school principal Avneesh Sharma harassed and expelled a seven-year-old Muslim boy for allegedly bringing non-vegetarian food to the school campus.
The incident came to light on September 5 after a video leaked showing a confrontation between the boy’s mother Sabra Saifi and the school principal, sparking huge outrage.
The child was also accused of threatening his classmates to convert them to Islam by feeding them food. The incident sparked outrage with political leaders Asaduddin Owaisi, Chandrashekhar Azad, and others demanding action against the principal.
In response to the public outcry, the district inspector of schools formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter, which is expected to submit its report within three days.
However, the investigation committee has yet to pass any strictures on the school principal. They rather have effectively let him off the hook.
Meanwhile, a photograph of school’s manager Anurag Saini with Amroha BJP president, Udai Giri Goswami wearing BJP stoles went viral on social media.
Goswami, however, clarified that Saini has been associated with the BJP for long as his father was a founding member of the party and served as a minister in the BJP government. He further explained that the party’s current membership drive aims to enrol five lakh new members, which is why he, along with other party members, visited Saini.
The former MP of Amroha Danish Ali alleged, “He (Saini) joined BJP only to prevent action against the school and the principal”. He demanded stern action be initiated against the school and principal since its words and actions violated the ethos of our constitution.
“They tried to frame a student of Class 3 in communal allegations without any evidence,” he said and questioned how a student of seven or eight years could talk about complex issues like conversion and blasphemy, said Ali as quoted by Hindustan Times.
The sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Sudhir Kumar, circle officer Arun Kumar, and DIOS V P Singh, with assistance from members of both factions, convened this evening to resolve the dispute at Hilton Convent School.
DIOS Singh said that the student’s mother agreed to withdraw her three children from the school and requested assistance in enrolling them in another school. In response, the school management consented to waive the outstanding fees of Rs 31,770 as per their rules.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Sayima Ahmad | 
