Heavy police forces cordoned off Success School in Hyderabad's Saidabad area on Friday morning, hours after parents and local activists staged angry protests over claims that second-grade Hindu students had been asked to recite the 'Kalma' as part of a homework assignment. By 9:00 AM, the school campus stood completely deserted, with neither students nor staff members arriving for classes, as the controversy triggered a political storm involving the BJP and drew sharp reactions from Union ministers and local legislators.
Protests Force School To Shut Down
The heavy security cover outside the school followed a full day of demonstrations by parents and activists, who accused the school management of imposing religious practices on minor students without consent. The protests, which had been building since the allegations first came to light, left the campus empty on Friday, with police personnel stationed around the premises to manage the tense situation and prevent further escalation.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar Calls It An "Assault" On Religious Freedom
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar reacted sharply to the incident on X, calling it a direct attack on religious freedom. "Hindu students being forced to recite the Kalma in school is a dangerous and unacceptable act. This is a direct assault on the freedom of religion and cannot be brushed aside. The Telangana Government must immediately take strict action against the management of Success School, Saidabad," he wrote. He went further, questioning why what he called "self-proclaimed secular voices" had stayed silent on the matter. "Why are the self-proclaimed secular voices silent now? If such incidents are ignored today, they will spread across Telangana tomorrow. BJP will never allow Hindu faith, traditions, and culture to be trampled upon," he said.
T Raja Singh Links Row To Owaisi's Constituency
Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh also weighed in, pointing out that the school lies within the parliamentary constituency represented by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. "In Asaduddin Owaisi's constituency, an attempt was made to forcibly teach the Kalma to Hindu children of the second grade. This is an extremely disturbing and reprehensible incident. Tampering with children's faith and parents' trust cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Strict action must be taken against the culprits," Raja Singh said on X.
How The Controversy Began
The row broke out on Wednesday evening, when parents first discovered the nature of the homework that had been assigned to their children's class. According to Hyderabad Police, the class in question had 25 students in total, including just one Hindu student. The teacher allegedly instructed the whole class, irrespective of the students' individual faiths, to recite the Kalma as well as Surah Fatiha as part of their daily homework routine. Once the Hindu student's parents learnt of this, they approached both the school management and the police to lodge their objection and demand action.
Teacher Already Sacked And Blacklisted
The episode has left the Sayeedabad area on edge, with tensions running high even as police continue to maintain a heavy presence around the school. In response to the mounting pressure from parents and BJP workers who protested outside the campus, the school management has already terminated the teacher accused of assigning the homework and has blacklisted the individual from any future association with the institution.
