‘40L for Teachers’ Appointment’: Maharashtra cracks down on Urdu schools

The Maharashtra Minority Commission has started a massive crackdown on Urdu schools after it received complaints of bribes in teachers’ appointment and sexual harassment

Akola (Maharashtra): The Maharashtra Minority Commission has started a massive crackdown on Urdu schools after it received complaints of bribes in teachers’ appointment and cases of sexual harassment.

The Maharashtra Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Ziya Khan said he received complaints from a number of teachers who said the Urdu school managements demanded from them INR 40 lakh for appointment in their schools.

Talking to reporters, Pyare Ziya Khan said he visited two schools in Akola district, including Salim Zakariya Urdu Middle School in Patur, after receiving complaints by some female teachers that they were facing harassment and threats.

"The school management extorted 20-30 percent of their salary amount from them", Pyare Ziya Khan told media.

The Chairman of the Maharashtra Minority Panel said some school managements are forcibly taking away half of teachers’ salaries in bribe.

“They were harassed in case they failed to pay the amount”, he said.

“The school also had a dark room used by the school chairman to beat and harass female teachers”, he said.

The Maharashtra Minority Commission has started a massive crackdown on Urdu schools after it received complaints of bribes in teachers’ appointment and sexual harassment. pic.twitter.com/0Pba8PfB92

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Moreover, several retired teachers reported that a significant portion of their pensions was being forcibly deducted, according to news agency ANI.

The State Minority Commission has also recommended the Maharashtra government to cancel the recognition of at least 22 Urdu schools and grants.

"I have requested Education Minister Dada Bhuse to cancel the recognition and grants of these schools", he said.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police (SP) Bachchan Singh said the department has registered a case of alleged sexual harassment against four persons under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 74 (assault or criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), 75 (sexual harassment), 296 (obscene acts) and 308 (2) (extortion), according to news agency PTI.

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