‘Dangerous Pakistani song’ at school event in Maharashtra: NHRC will issue notice to CBSE

NHRC, students at a school event (Visual source: X)

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday demanded action from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Jalna district administration and the Maharashtra Police on allegations that minors sang an offensive ‘Pakistani’ song during an annual function at a school in Maharashtra’s Jalna district.Taking cognizance of their complaints, the NHRC chaired by member Priyank Kanoongo took action under section 12 of the Human Rights Act 1993. The commission ordered the authorities to investigate the matter and submit a report within two weeks. According to a communication issued by the NHRC’s legal division on Wednesday, notices have been sent to the CBSE chairman, the district magistrate of Jalna and the superintendent of police, Jalna.The complaint relates to the annual program of Kids World English School in Partur, Jalna district. According to the complainant, “small children were made to sing an extremist Pakistani song inciting violence, along with a depiction of terrorist Mumtaz Qadri.”The complainant also said that after reporting the matter as a journalist, the school authorities and the local police faced a problem.“The complainant also stated that following his press release to warn the authorities, the school management and the Jalna police have started a campaign of retaliation, issuing notices of withdrawal to X and threatening him with legal action to stop the investigation,” the NHRC said.In seeking the board’s intervention, the plaintiff asked for access to information on the campus, an independent investigation into the alleged threats, and immunity for investigative journalists from retaliation.After reviewing the complaint, the NHRC observed that the allegations “appear to violate the rights of the affected people”. The commission directed the CBSE chairman, district magistrate and superintendent of police, Jalna, “to investigate the allegations made in the complaint and submit a report within two weeks for review by the Commission.”Earlier, a case was filed against the principal and two teachers of the school. The case was prosecuted according to the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections on the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, inciting hatred between groups, spreading falsehoods that affect international unity, and spreading falsehoods that may disturb the public.However, the school management vehemently denied the charge. Principal Siddiqui said that the music used for the occasion was based on the famous Turkish TV show Ertugrul Ghazi and not a Pakistani song.