Alphabet Chart Controversy Erupts in Madhya Pradesh School

A controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district, where a convent school principal allegedly distributed alphabet charts with Islamic references. The education department has initiated an inquiry, officials say.

Principal IA Qureshi reportedly gave students Hindi alphabet charts that included terms like 'Ka' for Kaba, 'Ma' for Masjid, and 'Na' for Namaz. This led to a protest by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, who confronted Qureshi on Friday.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer Pratibha Sharma reported that the police were able to diffuse the situation. The case has been referred to the district education officer, with guidelines indicating that religious symbols of a particular faith should not be included in school material. Qureshi termed the distribution an 'inadvertent' mistake, explaining it was due to an oversight from the supplier based in Bhopal.

(With inputs from agencies.)