National Human Rights Commission (national human rights commission) on Wednesday sought a report on action taken by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Jalna district administration and Maharashtra police allege that minor children were forced to perform extremist “Pakistani” songs during an annual day program at a school in Maharashtra’s Jalna district.After receiving the complaint, the National Human Rights Commission bench headed by member Priyank Kanoongo took action under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The committee directed authorities to investigate the allegations and submit a report within two weeks. According to a notification issued by the legal wing of the National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday, notices have been sent to the CBSE chairman, Jalna district magistrate and police chief Jalna.The complaint relates to the annual day classes at Children’s World English School in Paltur, Jalna district. According to the complainant, “underage children were asked to perform a Pakistani extremist song promoting violence, with terrorist Mumtaz Qadri in the background.”The complainant also claimed that he faced action from the school administration and local police after raising the issue in his capacity as a journalist.“The complainant further claims that after he reported it to the authorities, both the school administration and the Jalna police launched a retaliatory operation by issuing a formal prohibition notice to X and threatening him with a criminal case to suppress the investigation,” the National Human Rights Commission said.In seeking the committee’s intervention, the complainants requested formal recognition of alleged extremist content displayed during school events, an independent investigation into alleged administrative intimidation, and protection of investigative journalists from retaliatory law enforcement actions.After reviewing the complaint, the National Human Rights Commission noted that the charges “prima facie appear to violate the human rights of the victims.” The committee directed CBSE chairman, district magistrate and inspector general of police Jalna “to conduct an inquiry into the allegations made in the complaint and submit an action report within two weeks for the perusal of the committee.”Earlier, a case was registered against the school’s principal and two teachers. The case was filed under sections of the BNS Act (BNS), which include sections dealing with conduct affecting the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, inciting enmity between groups, spreading misinformation affecting national integration and spreading false information likely to cause panic among the public.However, the school management has strongly denied the allegations. Principal Siddiqui said the music used in the program was from the popular Turkish TV series Ertugrul Ghazi and not Pakistani songs.
