Suspended UP headmaster reinstated with a warning

Furqan Ali, the headmaster of a government primary school in Pilibhit, who was suspended last week for making children sing Iqbal's famous 'Lab pe aati hai dua banke tamanna meri', has been reinstated and transferred to another school.

District Basic Education Officer Devendra Swarup said Furqan Ali would, however, be discharging his duties as a teacher and not as a headmaster.

Ali has been attached to a primary school in the same area on 'humanitarian grounds' following a report from the block education officer that he is differently-abled.

"Furqan Ali has been let off with a strong and final warning. He has been told that he should adhere to the departmental rules and discharge his duties under the direction of senior officers," the Basic Education Department official said.

Furqan Ali was suspended on the complaint of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) that alleged that the headmaster was 'forcing' children, mostly belonging to the majority community, to recite the prayer, 'Lab pe aati hai dua', which the right-wing outfit said was usually recited at madarsas.IANS