The Somaiya College in Mumbai has requested its principal Parveen Shaikh to resign after OpIndia – a Hindutva web site accused of spreading misinformation and hate speech – printed an article focusing on her for her purported political beliefs.
Shaikh has labored on the non-public faculty within the metropolis’s Vidyavihar locality for 12 years and has been its principal for over seven years.
On April 24, OpIndia carried a narrative claiming to reveal Shaikh’s “disturbing social media behaviour”. It accused her of being a “Hamas-sympathiser”, “anti-Hindu” and a supporter of “Islamist Umar Khalid” primarily based on posts that she had “appreciated” from her Twitter account.
On April 26 afternoon, the administration of The Somaiya College requested Shaikh to step down, Shaikh advised Scroll.
“They expressed their disappointment with the content material of the OpIndia article,” Shaikh advised Scroll. “They’ve stated [asking me to step down] was a tricky resolution for them to make, however this affiliation can’t be continued.”
Shaikh added: “The administration acknowledges my arduous work and contribution to shaping The Somaiya College. Nevertheless, they stated they had been beneath immense strain to take motion in opposition to me. They haven’t specified grounds apart from the OpIndia article.”
Shaikh stated she had by no means heard of OpIndia earlier than and that she was shocked by the imputations that had been made in opposition to her. “I used to be confused as to why they might be involved in a workaholic faculty principal,” she stated.
Shaikh advised Scroll that she doesn’t intend to resign from the publish.
A spokesperson for The Somaiya College didn’t verify or deny that Shaikh has been requested to resign on account of the OpIndia piece. “We’re wanting into the matter,” the spokesperson stated.
Scroll additionally referred to as and texted Samir Somaiya, president of the Somaiya Vidyavihar belief that manages the college, for his response. This story will likely be up to date if he responds.
The OpIndia piece, which has triggered a battery of hate speech in opposition to Shaikh on Twitter, means that her political beliefs are detrimental to the “1000’s of unsuspecting kids” in her care as an educator.
Shaikh not often posts on her Twitter account. When she does, it’s associated to training. Nevertheless, she has “appreciated” a number of posts in help of the besieged territory of Gaza, the place Israel and Hamas have been preventing a battle since October.
Shaikh additionally appreciated a number of posts that had been important of the Bharatiya Janata Celebration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his political regime.
A mother or father, whose two kids research at The Somaiya College, stated that she was shocked by the OpIndia piece. “We felt her [Shaikh’s] opinions weren’t correct for the college,” stated the mother or father, who declined to be recognized.
The mother or father alleged that Shaikh had begun to recruit extra Muslim staffers after she grew to become principal. “I’m not saying the lecturers within the faculty should not good,” this individual stated. “They’re all wonderful. However we observed she favoured her group.”
Nevertheless, a number of mother and father have spoken out in help of Shaikh. Eighteen of them met Samir Somaiya on Monday to steer him to roll again the administration’s resolution.
“However Somaiya stated that his palms are tied and so they can’t assist however ask me to go away,” Shaikh advised Scroll. The administration has not formally communicated their resolution to the mother or father physique as of Tuesday afternoon.
Many mother and father have additionally vouched for Shaikh in emails to the college administration. In a single such e mail, Preeti Gopalkrishnan, the mom of two college students, wrote that Shaikh has “promoted cultural concord, tolerance and peace” within the institute and criticised makes an attempt to label her as “anti-national”.
“I can’t consider any event the place she has misled the group of scholars and the mother and father,” Gopalkrishnan stated in her e mail. She has additionally sought to satisfy the college administration in individual however is but to listen to again about her request.
Shilpa Phadke, one other mother or father, stated that she discovered Shaikh to be a considerate and artistic instructor. “It’s untenable that a rare educator needs to be focused on this means as a result of she is a Muslim, after which be requested to go away,” she stated.
A number of mother and father discovered it preposterous that Shaikh has been requested to resign on account of politically-motivated propaganda, Phadke added.
One more mother or father advised Scroll that they weren’t conscious of any occasion wherein Shaikh had promoted or imposed her obvious spiritual or political views within the faculty. “I consider individuals have their very own views in private life and there’s nothing incorrect in following your perception and it’s innocent to us until you impose them on the kids,” the mother or father stated.
Shaikh advised Scroll that the mother or father physique has been immensely supportive by “negating the allegations made by the OpIndia article and vouching for my integrity, professionalism and my function in steering the college in the direction of progress”.
Further reporting by Tabassum Barnagarwala.