Hathras: A group of people recited Hanuman Chalisa outside a private school in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on Friday amid a controversy over namaz being allegedly offered at the institute during a cultural event-- a claim rejected by the district administration.
Hathras District Magistrate Archana Verma said the news being circulated on social media that namaz was offered on the school premises was factually not correct.
She said it was a part of the preparation meant for an all-faith event in the school in which participants enacted the role of the followers of different religions.
She said a two-member team has been formed to probe the incident. The inquiry team under Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Urban) has been asked to file a report in five days, Verma told news agency PTI.
The DM said they would try to circulate the video of the event for everyone to see the truth.
Principal and two teachers suspended
On a report of a right-wing activist Vyas Deoki Nandan threatening to launch an agitation, she said he has been informed about the facts.
Meanwhile, the school management has suspended the principal and two teachers in view of the controversy.
Sources from the school said namaz was not offered on the premises, adding it was a performance on Mohammad Iqbal's Urdu poem "Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua Banke". Iqbal is the writer of the famous song 'Saare jahan se achha'.
(With inputs from agencies)
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