'M For Masjid; N For Namaz': MP School Faces Backlash Over Nursery Study Material

In Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district, a private school has come under scanner for allegedly distributing nursery school materials with controversial words linked to alphabets. The learning chart had religious words linked to each alphabet like 'M for Masjid' and 'N for Namaz'. The matter surfaced when a student’s uncle spotted the content while going through the child’s study material at home.

Instead of common examples like “K for Kabootar” or “M for Machli,” the alphabet chart showcased Islamic references. Soon, the issue reached the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who took to a protest.

ABVP Stages Protest Over Islamic References

ABVP members and concerned parents staged a protest outside Baby Convent School, accusing the management of violating education department norms by introducing religious references into classroom materials. The situation escalated when principal IA Qureshi defended the inclusion, suggesting that “M for Masjid” could be taught alongside “M for Mandir,” which further angered the crowd, reported Bhaskar English. Police and the District Education Officer (DEO) were called in to control the situation.

Qureshi later admitted that the charts had been issued without proper scrutiny. The principal explained that they were procured from Bhopal and contained some material typically used in madrasa education. Parents were subsequently asked to return the charts. The DEO confirmed that an inquiry is underway, stressing that guidelines prohibit the use of study aids with symbols or references linked to any particular religion.

The episode comes on the heels of another recent row involving PDA Paathshalas run by the Samajwadi Party, where nursery students reportedly learned the alphabet with political leaders’ names such as “A for Akhilesh Yadav” and “M for Mulayam Singh Yadav”, as reported by India Today. Both incidents have reignited debate over the inclusion of religious or political themes in early education content.

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