Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua: Principal, shiksha mitra booked for ‘making students’ recite Iqbal’s poem in Bareilly

“Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua” was penned in 1902 by Muhammad Iqbal, also known as Allama Iqbal who wrote “Saare Jahaan Se Achccha” song.

“A prayer was being recited which said something like, ‘Allah ibadat karna’. This is not the stipulated prayer, and hence school principal Nahid Siddiqui has been suspended. I have also ordered a probe against the shiksha mitra,” Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), Bareilly, Vinay Kumar said.

In his complaint to the police, the VHP functionary alleged, “…teachers Nahid Siddiqui and Wazeeruddin were making the students reciter prayer as per Muslim method with an intention to hurt sentiments of the Hindus… This is being done by the two teachers to attract students towards Islam… Both the teachers are hurting the sentiments of Hindus and preparing for the students’ conversion.”

The government school, where the alleged incident happened, has 265 students enrolled in Classes 1 to 8.

Meanwhile, 62-year-old Nahid Siddiqui said that she was not in the school when the alleged incident took place as she went on leave from December 12.

“I was on medical leave. Before I went on leave, we recited the stipulated prayer ‘Ae Shakti Humein Dena Data’ every day along with the national anthem. In my absence, the shiksha mitra got ‘Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua’ (by Muhammad Iqbal) recited during the morning assembly. In the past, when the shiksha mitra asked me to get this prayer recited, I refused,” said Siddiqui, who is set to retire next March. “I am set to retire on March 31. I have been waiting for my retirement as I am suffering from multiple ailments like high blood pressure and diabetes. I have fractured my leg thrice and I can’t walk without crutches,” she added.

Three years ago, in October 2019, the headmaster of a government primary school in Bisalpur area of Pilibhit was suspended following a complaint by local VHP workers who alleged that the teacher made students recite a religious prayer, usually recited in madrasas. In that case, too, the students had recited Allama Iqbal’s “Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua”.