Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim
“I want all our students to be dedicated towards serving the nation,” said Sanjay Mallick, principal of Sant Nandlal Smriti Vidya Mandir (SNSVM) in Ghatsila, Jharkhand, after the school faced a lot of flak for asking a few students to learn the national anthems of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Mallick, in a video message, clarified that as part of the exercise, students were not asked to memorise the national anthems of only Pakistan and Bangladesh, but rather of all neighbouring countries.
The International School Awards, Mallick explained, are awarded by the British Council. “Under this project, students are taught the national anthems, symbols, emblems, birds, animal, flag etc, of all neighbouring countries,” said Mallick.
He also shared that students are taught about all these attributes of India, as well.
Mallick, a former Indian Air Force officer, also spoke of his love for the nation:
Mallick said the controversy is disturbing the students, as well as the teachers, and urged the public to put an end to it.
He went on to apologise to those he may have hurt inadvertently:
Mallick ended the video by raising slogans of ‘Jai Hind’ ‘Jai Bharat’ and ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam (the world is one family).’
According to Hindustan Times, the teacher who had handed out the exercise to the students said that she did so as per the school management’s direction and “the objective was to enhance the general knowledge of the students.” Meanwhile, the school administration has reportedly suspended Principal Sanjay Mallick.
Hindustan Times also reported that the BJP state spokesperson Kunal Sarangi has referred to the exercise as “anti-national” and demanded strict action against the school.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times.)
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