Hyderabad: Father of the Class 2 student who was asked to learn the kalma and Surah Fateha as homework has accepted the school’s apology and decided to “resolve the issue” and “withdraw the complaint.”
A controversy had erupted earlier in the day after parents of a Class 2 student at a private school in Hyderabad alleged their six-year-old son was asked to learn an Islamic verse as part of his homework.
According to the parents, the teacher had noted “Read Surah Fatiha” and “Read kalma” in the school diary under the subject “Deeniyath.”
“We, the parents of [name withheld], Grade 2, son of GAYAKWADA RAJA SHEKAR, resolve the issue happened in the school on 15 July 2026 regarding the homework given in the diary to my son by the Mother teachers, we have accepted the apologise from the teacher and will not repeat this mistake in future. We expect full cooperation from the management and teachers and request the authorities to withdraw the complaints,” stated a letter addressed to the school principal.
Speaking to Siasat.com, the father, G Rajashekhar, said that it was their own decision to withdraw the complaint.
Meanwhile, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded action against the private school and urged the state government to ascertain whether this was part of a “conspiracy.”
Claiming that there is widespread anger among the people of Hyderabad over the incident, VHP international president Alok Kumar demanded that the state government conduct a thorough investigation into the matter to identify those involved.
“There is widespread anger among the people of Hyderabad over this incident, and rightly so. We want the state government to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. It should not be taken lightly. The government should ascertain whether this was the act of a single teacher or part of an organised conspiracy.”
“The truth must be brought out. At the same time, it is essential that harmony between the two communities is not disturbed. Those found guilty should be punished in accordance with the law,” he said in a video post on X.
He claimed by asking the student to learn and recite the kalma, the teacher tried to convert him to Islam.
“We all know that the kalma is a verse from the Quran. Its meaning is that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Prophet Muhammad is his messenger. We also know that if someone wishes to embrace Islam by leaving his or her own religion, all that person has to do is recite this verse. Once this verse is recited, that person is regarded as a Muslim. That is the process of conversion in Islam,” Kumar said.
“Now, this child was a Hindu. Will attempts now be made to influence such young children and convert them to Islam in this manner?” he said, asking whether the school approved this practice.
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said schools are not centres for imposing religious education, demanding strict action against the “guilty” school management.
“Schools are temples of knowledge, not centres for imposing religious education, the kalma or such agendas. The incident of teaching the kalma to an innocent Class 2 student in Bhagyanagar (Hyderabad) is a direct assault on children’s constitutional rights and parents’ trust. Strict action should be taken against the guilty school management,” he said in a post on X.
“How can a teacher and the school issue an order demanding that a Hindu student recite the Kalma and Fateha,” he questioned.
Bansal alleged the school neglected the parents’ grievances when they raised the issue. “The student’s parents reached the school and questioned the authorities. The parents are demanding strict action be taken against the school management.
“It is a clear case of the soft conversion of our children in a planned manner,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president N Ramchander Rao alleged that the Congress government in Telangana was turning a blind eye to “education jihad” to further their “appeasement politics.”
“This is on you, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. It is your appeasement politics and statements such as “Congress is Muslims and Muslims are Congress” that have emboldened such extremist elements…. The Congress Government has turned a blind eye (to the incident) exposing its complete lack of concern for Hindu students and their families,” he stated in a post on X while calling for an immediate and impartial investigation.
Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy echoed the sentiment and called the incident “an open attempt at religious indoctrination of innocent minors.”
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar called the incident a “dangerous and unacceptable act” and said that if such incidents are ignored today, they will spread across Telangana tomorrow.
“This is a direct assault on the freedom of religion and cannot be brushed aside…. Why are the self-proclaimed secular voices silent now? BJP will never allow the Hindu faith, traditions and culture to be trampled upon. We will continue to fight to protect India’s civilisational values and every citizen’s constitutional right to freely practice their religion,” the minister stated in a post on X.
(With inputs from PTI)
