Madhya Pradesh: FIR against Damoh school authorities over headscarf row

The exterior of the Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School in Damoh. (Express photo)

“No arrests have been made. We are recording the statements of the two complainants following which further course of action will be taken,” Singh said.

On Wednesday, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke about the issue, saying that no female student will be forced to wear a hijab in Madhya Pradesh. “We will investigate this case thoroughly and let me assure you that nobody will force our students, daughters to wear something, whether it is a hijab or something else,” the CM had said.

The school’s first batch of 42 Class 12 students – both science and commerce – would have appeared for their Board exams next year. (Express photo)

Earlier, it was alleged that a poster showed girl students of the school, including those from Hindu families, wearing headscarves that looked like hijab. At the time, the local district officials, including the District Collector, had stated that “there were allegations of religious conversion but it was not found to be true”.

A photo from the Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School in Damoh. (Express photo)

State Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who ordered the probe, has told reporters that “no complaint was received in this regard. In view of the seriousness of the issue, the superintendent of police has been instructed to thoroughly investigate it”.

A photo from the Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School in Damoh. (Express photo)

On May 31, Mishra ordered a probe into the incident even though the local district officials and the police said that no complaint was received.

On June 2, the Education Department derecognised the school, citing inadequate infrastructure – “no proper library” and “no proper practical material”, among other reasons.