Author: MH Lakdawala
Publication: The Milli Gazette
Date: May 15, 2002
URL: http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/15052002/1505200268.htm
Mumbai: India is a plural country
with rich diversity.Muslims have been living since centuries, in this great
country.But still the attitude of the few Muslims gives Islam the bad name
and projects it as an intolerant religion. Recently the behaviour of a
Muslim teacher in Mumbai forced Bombay high court to pass strictures against
her behaviour.
It was not 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 recently. Mukadam's stand
was elevated when the Bombay High Court dismissed Haji's case challenging
the dismissal. The High Court even commended the school for sacking Haji.
Having received complaints from teachers and parents about 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," she said.
In January 1998, 14 teachers-10
Muslims and four Hindus-complained to the school principal about Haji.
Their grievances included the fact that she would pick up frequent unprovoked
quarrels with other teachers and was not on talking terms with them. She
used harsh language with students. Even parents used to complain about
her. When anyone wished Happy Diwali, she refused to respond, saying she
was not a kafir. The school management issued a memo to Haji in January
1998. She responded by threatening the principal. The High Court found
no impropriety or illegality in her dismissal. In fact, she was found by
the court to be "totally unsuitable" for a teacher's post. The court said,
"She was given sufficient opportunity to refrain from such intolerable
behaviour, unbecoming of this noble profession." After the termination
of her service, 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 High Court. Justice Rajan
Kochar, in his order of April 8, 2002, fully justified the action of the
management, depreciating Haji's conduct. A Muslim school management's secular
action was praised by the Bombay High Court. Justice Rajan Kochar commended
the management of Anjuman Taiyebji girl's school for taking a serious view
of communal slurs by a Muslim teacher, who was on probation. The teacher
frequently referred to teachers of the majority community as kafirs and
jahannamis.
Justice Kochar held that the teacher,
Tasmeen Mohammed Umer Haji, who is in her early 30s, had "no right to use
words with which she intended to condemn the majority community." Justice
Kochar asked the school to reinstate her if she apologised. However, she
refused to do so. The judge noted: "I have always thought economic needs
were of immediate necessity than the so-called religious one. There is
no place for religion in the human belly which is appeased by bread alone
and not by religious chants." "The school management could not and did
not tolerate any such religious bigots in their school where there were
students and teachers of both communities", the judge observed, adding
that if allowed to continue as a teacher, there was a possibility of her
using the language of jehad (religious war).Let us all remember that in
this secular state governed by a secular Constitution, there is no place
for words such as kafir or jehad," the judge said. Mukadam is elated. "Our
school has always stressed upon secular values and I did not want anybody
to mess with that," she said. Taiyebiyah Girls High School at Bhindi Bazaar
is 117 years old and has classes from nursery to SSC with 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 joined as a probationary
teacher for mathematics and science. "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. To worsen
the situation, Haji also made distinctions between different Muslim sects,"
confirms Mukadam.
Its no use claiming that Islam is
the best religion and that it preaches peace and tolerance.The vast non
Muslim majority is not going to just believe what we say about Islam.Unless
and until the masses see with their own eyes Muslim practising Islam as
it is enjoined in Qur'an the misgivings about Islam are not going to vanish
as Muslims wish. The need of the hour is to follow the message of Love
and Compassion as practised by Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). After all Prophet
Mohammed (pbuh) was the benefactor of entire humanity.
