New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday attacked the Congress government in Telangana over allegations that a private school in Hyderabad asked a class 2 Hindu student to learn an Islamic verse as part of his homework.
The BJP accused the Congress of patronising a "conversion mafia" in the state and demanded action against the school management.
A private school in Hyderabad has come under scrutiny after parents of a 6-year-old student alleged that their son was asked to learn an Islamic verse as part of his homework.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla claimed the school has terminated the teacher after the issue came to light but said the action was inadequate.
"Too little, too late. The school in question, which was allowing the forcible recitation of the Kalma, an Islamic prayer, to Hindu children, has finally, after giving a series of excuses and saying it was a mistake, terminated the teacher.
"But that is not enough. Why did such a case take place in Hyderabad, under Revanth Reddy and (Asaduddin) Owaisi?" Poonawalla said in a video post on X.
He demanded strict action against the school and alleged that such incidents are the result of Congress and AIMIM patronising such elements.
"Now the question is -- What action will the state government and police take against the teacher, the school administration and the school itself, and why do Revanth Reddy, the Congress and others give patronage to such elements with their statement that Congress means Muslims?" he said.
Poonawalla alleged that the incident is "nothing short of a forcible conversion case, a forcible Kalma test".
"This is nothing short of a forcible conversion case, a forcible Kalma test. We have seen this in the Nashik TCS case, corporate jihad, and now this education jihad. Congress is allowing and enabling this through its ecosystem. Congress must answer. The Congress government must answer," he added.
Another BJP national spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari, also targeted the Congress over the controversy, alleging that the party's politics has encouraged a "conversion mafia".
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In a video post on X, Bhandari said, "Congress' own stand is: Congress equals Muslims, and Muslims equal Congress. It is aptly clear that motivated by the stance of the Congress, the conversion mafia in Telangana is now converting Hindu students and asking them to recite the Kalma in a private school."
He alleged that AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi are "hand in glove", and accused the Congress of being "anti-Hindu".
"Asaduddin Owaisi who speaks about secularism and has supported the hijab is completely silent. It is aptly clear that Rahul Gandhi's Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi are hand in glove, and they are intent on converting Hindu students by forcing them to recite the Kalma."
He accused the Congress of "pseudo-secularism" and an "anti-Hindu policy" by not acting against the private school.
"Since no action has been taken against school authorities and the teacher, it is aptly clear that they have now become part of the Congress party's policy, whereby, through such statements, the Congress party motivates the conversion racket in Telangana.
"Congress is anti-Hindu, anti-Constitution and anti-secular," he added.
