Headmaster suspended for organising essay contest on prophet in Karnataka school

A government school headmaster in Gadag district has been suspended on the charge of ‘secretly’ organising an essay contest on Prophet Mohammed without a specific direction from the Karnataka Government

A government school headmaster in Gadag district has been suspended on the charge of 'secretly' organising an essay contest on Prophet Mohammed in spite of not having any specific direction from the Karnataka Government.

Additional Commissioner of Public Instruction Sidramappa S. Biradar issued the order suspending Abdul Munaf Bijapur, headmaster of Government High School at Nagavi in Gadag taluk. The suspension order was issued a day after Sri Rama Sene activists barged into the school and allegedly manhandled the headmaster on September 27 accusing him of trying to convert students.

An inquiry revealed that the headmaster had organised an essay contest after distributing a book on Prophet Mohammed to 43 students of class 8 without informing other teachers or the department, and he had also promised cash prizes. “During preliminary inquiry, the allegations against him seemed to be true, which is why he has been suspended,” Mr. Biradar said in the order.

On September 27, Sri Rama Sene activists allegedly barged into the school after a parent informed them about the essay contest and prize money. They allegedly manhandled the headmaster and accused him of trying to impose Islam on students and trying to convert them by offering cash prizes. Subsequently, the department had sought a report from local officials.