By Tarique Anwar, TwoCircles.net,
Patna (Bihar): In a shameful incident in Bihar whose second official language is Urdu but Urdu-speaking students hardly get textbooks in Urdu, government officials in Saharsa district put on fire thousands of Urdu textbooks on 5th August.
Showing their enmity with the language, the officials from the department of education of the district burnt thousands of Urdu textbooks meant for free distribution among the students whose first language is Urdu.
TwoCircles.net spoke to the District Magistrate (DM) Gharib Sahu on this matter. He said he was not in condition to give any comment on this issue until the enquiry report comes in. “The Sub Divisional officer (SDO) along with District Education Officer (DEO) is investigating the matter and will submit his report on 8th or 9th August”, said the DM.
Asked why these books had not been properly stored or distributed, he had no answer. He said he doesn’t know.
The Social Studies books were supplied to the districts for free distribution among the students of Std I to V under the chief minister’s 15-point programme to check drop-out rate of students on primary level.
The books which couldn’t be burnt were thrown in the nearby water body by the authorities.
Taking a serious note of the issue, Naushad Ahmad, chairman, Bihar State Minority Commission, has ordered department of home affairs to probe the incident. Talking to TwoCircles.net, Naushad confirmed this and added that Muslims are in majority in Pitarghat Block of Saharsa district where the incident occurred and the books were not distributed in time. “We are investigating into this matter and strong action will be taken against the guilty officials,” said Naushad.
Of the 1,508,182 population in the district, Muslims constitute 14.45%, according to the Census 2001.
Giving further details, he said that the books sent to Vishnupur Middle School of Pitarghat Block were kept in a nearby library due to insufficient space for storing them at the school. The library was also not very safe and had leakage in the roof and most of the books got damaged due to continuous rain for the last few weeks. When the authorities got information about the damage of the books, they thought it safe to burn them or throw them into the water body.
Many state Muslim leaders including Tanveer Hasan, MLC, and Shakeel Ahmad Khan, deputy leader of RJD in the state assembly, have demanded a fair probe into the case.