School, church attacked over 'anti-Islam' lesson; Christians furious

A moral science text-book, allegedly making derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed, has kicked up a storm in Hyderabad.

Immediately after the Majlis Bachao Tehrik went berserk at the Father Roch Memorial High School and Our Lady of Health Church at A C Guards in Hyderabad on Tuesday, the Church was up in the arms.

Protesting the attack, which allegedly desecrated one of the idols, the Church ordered the closure of all Christian schools on Wednesday and Thursday.

Caught unawares by the unexpected turn of events, the Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday evening withdrew the offending ninth class moral science textbook even as the timing of the attack raised many eyebrows.

Was it triggered by the lesson on Islam -- the textbook had several objectionable remarks -- or was there some other extraneous reason? Father Roch Memorial School principal Father Domnique Savio, who was injured in the attack, said the textbook had been part of the syllabus for the last eight or nine years and that none had raised any objection. ''Believe me, more than 90 per cent of my students are Muslims.''

Moreover, if the Majlis's ire was really directed against the offending textbook and wanted its withdrawal from the curriculum, the activists should have lodged their protest with the right quarter.

''Who are we to withdraw the lesson?'' said the school authorities. ''If people have objections against the book, they should bring the matter to the notice of the state government.''

However, the principal was unwilling to comment on the real reasons behind the attack. '''Ours is a reputed convent school and we may sometime hurt someone by turning down his/ her plea for admissions,'' he said.

Sources said that the attack was an offshoot of the bickering among the two the Majlis factions -- Lok Sabha member Sultan Salauddin Owaisi's Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen and Amanullah Khan's Majlis Bachao Tehrik -- which have been trying to establish their supremacy in the old city.

Facts drive the right-thinking to such a conclusion. A complaint against the offending lesson was first launched by legislator Asaduddin Owaisi, the MIM chief's son, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Gautam Sawang.

Registering a complaint under Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code on Monday night, the police started investigating the case. The police were about to approach the director of school education to verify if the lesson conformed to the rules and regulations, when the news of the attack trickled in.

Sources said nearly 100 to 150 activists, allegedly belonging to the MBT, organised the attack to score over the rival MIM.

However, when the police arrested four of those involved in the attack, both the factions, led by several legislators, blocked the roads outside the Saifabad police station which was handling the case. They demanded the release of the accused.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Action Organisation and the Anglo-Indian Association have taken serious objection to the attack and demanded an unconditional apology from the MBT leadership.

In another development, Christian educational institutions have taken out protest rallies on Thursday. The rallies, led by several priests, converged into a public meeting addressed by Acrchbishop Arulappa. He urged the gathering to exercise restraint.

Considering the gravity of the situation, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered the withdrawal of the textbook, Better Living, published by the Bombay-based Jeevandeep Publishers.

UNI and M S Shanker in Hyderabad