Karnataka: Education department orders probe into Prophet Muhammad essay competition in school

Gadag: The Karnataka education department has ordered an inquiry into a headmaster of a government school in Karnataka's Gadag asking students to write an essay on Prophet Muhammad. The probe comes after activists of the right-wing outfit Sri Rama Sene protested against the headmaster.

Block Education officer Virupakshappa Naduvinamani told ANI, "I'll get the complaint copy from Sri Ram Sene. I'll also get information from the headmaster of the school and students and provide them to the deputy director." The state education department has ordered an investigation into the incident. Abdul Munafar Bijapur, a headmaster of the Government High School in Nagavi Village, had organised an essay competition on Prophet Mohammed after which right-wing activists barged into the school premises to express their displeasure.

The incident took place in the Government High School in Nagavi village. The activists barged into the school and heckled the headmaster, leaving the 172 students in a state of shock.

The activists of Ram Sene accused the headmaster of trying to facilitate a "religious conversion."

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Sharanappa Gowda Haplad, a parent, said, "I came to know that the headmaster of the school was trying to impose Islam in the minds of students by conducting an essay writing competition and announcing Rs 5,000 prize money. The boys and girls in the hope of winning Rs 5,000 were made to write essays. His intention was to convert students. That's why I informed Sri Ram Sene activists. I want to know what's the intention of organising an essay competition on Prophet Mohammad."