Army expels Kashmiri teacher from its school for calling slain militant ‘Shaheed’

40 teachers resign in protest, parents told to take out students who wrote Azadi slogans on blackboard
A Kashmiri teacher has been expelled from the Army Goodwill School at Sharifabad garrison for calling a slain militant ‘martyr’. After the expulsion, 40 teachers of the school have resigned in protest.
Principal of the school Shaista Khan confirmed the expulsion of the teacher, Mudasir Abdullah.
Two days after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Bhat was killed in Tral on May 27, Class 9 students wrote “Azadi” slogans on the board of their classroom, a few teachers told Kashmir Post.
“The school authorities called the students and their teachers for questioning. The questioning was done by the principal, the vice-principal, and an army Major. Mudasir was questioned by Colonel Devendra during which he called the slain militant a ‘Shaheed’,” a senior teacher said. The teacher added, “It irritated the army officer and he expelled him. The army officer said, throw him out. Dhakka de kar baahar nikala gaya us ko (he was pushed out of the school).”
During the questioning, a few students of Class 9 who had written the slogans were identified by the school administration, the principal said.
“To overcome and to prevent further such situations in the school, we called the parents individually as well as collectively and told them to counsel their wards at home. We have suspended the class work of 9th grade for four weeks,” the principal added.
She explained that class work for Class 9 students has been suspended to provide time to parents to counsel their wards, so that such acts are not repeated. “However, the parents are not happy with this move and are asking for the discharge of their wards from the school,” the principal said.
It is learnt that students and teachers were asked to chant “Jai Hind” after the morning prayers. Students refused to do so, and said they would chant it only when their teachers chant it along with them.
“The principal and vice principal were asked to come on stage and chant Jai Hind,” a source said.
“Though I did not receive any formal termination order, I have been expelled by the army,” the expelled teacher told KR.
Army’s Srinagar-based defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia didn’t respond to repeated calls and texts from this correspondent.