Author: Roshni Olivera
Publication: The Times of India
Date: April 19, 2002
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?art_ID=7297446
It wasn't easy for Principal Asma
Mukadam of Taiyebiyah Girls High School to take a stand against a teacher
from her own community.
But she went ahead anyway, sacking
Tasneema Haji for encouraging communal disharmony in the school. Last week,
Mukadam's stand was elevated when the Bombay High Court dismissed Hajis
case challenging the dismissal. The HC even commended the school for sacking
Haji.
Mukadam is elated: "Our school has
always stressed upon secular values and I didn't want anybody to mess with
that." Taiyebiyah Girls High School at Bhendi Bazaar is a 117 years old
and has classes from nursery to SSC and over 1,000 students.
Even though the school has a majority
of Muslim students, it has had principals and teachers from different religions.
Currently, of the 18 teachers, 8 are non-Muslims. Trouble began, says Mukadam,
when Haji (42) joined as a probationary teacher for maths and science for
Stds 5 to 9.
"She didn't mix with non-Muslim
teachers and made her dislike of them very obvious. Our children always
wish their teachers for Diwali, Christmas and other festivals. When they
wished her once during Diwali, she rebuked them, saying, 'I am not a kafir
like you. I don't celebrate Diwali.'
Various such instances took place
when we realised she was discriminating among religions. This was unacceptable.
Haji also made distinctions between different Muslim sects."
Having received complaints from
teachers and parents about the Haji's attitude, Mukadam, in consultation
with the management of the Anjuman-e-Taiyebi Trust, decided to terminate
Haji's services in April 1998. "I tried counselling Haji, but that didn't
help. Even the memos I issued didn't bring about a change."
After the termination of herservice,
Haji approached the School Tribunal and with its interim order continued
to be in service until February 2002. Her appeal was rejected by the tribunal,
after which Haji approached the HC. Justice Rajan Kochar, in his order
of April 8, 2002, fully justified the action of the management, depreciating
Haji's conduct.
Says Sajjad Rampurawala, secretary
of Anjuman-e-Taiyebi, "We are glad the court appreciated our stand. We
took action against Haji because we don't want any such thing repeated.
Our age-old values of religious tolerance and brotherhood must prevail."
Mukadam (58) is retiring by this
month's end. "The HC order is a retirement gift," she says.
