National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday sought action taken reports from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Jalna district administration and the Maharashtra Police over allegations that minor children were made to perform to an extremist ‘Pakistani’ song during an annual day function at a school in Maharashtra’s Jalna district.Taking cognisance of a complaint, a bench of the NHRC led by member Priyank Kanoongo acted under section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The commission directed the authorities to investigate the allegations and submit reports within two weeks. According to a communication issued by the NHRC’s law division on Wednesday, notices have been sent to the CBSE chairman, the district magistrate of Jalna and the superintendent of police, Jalna.The complaint relates to an annual day programme at Kids World English School in Partur, Jalna district. According to the complainant, “minor children were made to perform to an extremist Pakistani song promoting violence, accompanied by a background display of terrorist Mumtaz Qadri.”The complainant also alleged that after raising the issue in his capacity as a journalist, he faced action from both the school administration and the local police.“The complainant further alleged that following his journalistic whistleblowing to alert authorities, both the school administration and the Jalna police have launched a retaliatory campaign, issuing formal takedown notices to X and threatening him with criminal cases to suppress the investigation,” the NHRC said.Seeking the commission’s intervention, the complainant asked for formal cognisance of the alleged extremist content displayed during the school event, an independent inquiry into the alleged administrative intimidation, and protection for investigative journalists from retaliatory law enforcement action.After examining the complaint, the NHRC observed that the allegations “prima facie seem to be violations of the human rights of the victims”. The commission directed the CBSE chairman, the district magistrate and the superintendent of police, Jalna, “to get the allegations made in the complaint inquired into and to submit an action taken report within two weeks for perusal of the Commission.”Earlier, a case was registered against the principal and two teachers of the school. The case was filed under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections dealing with acts affecting the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, promoting enmity between groups, spreading misinformation affecting national integration, and circulating false information likely to cause public alarm.However, the school administration strongly denied the allegations. Principal Siddiqui said the music used during the programme was from the popular Turkish television serial Ertugrul Ghazi and not a Pakistani song.
