Communal content in textbooks: Police raid Peace school in Kozhikode, founder MM Akbar absconding

According to media reports, the police believe that Akbar fled the country over a month ago.

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The Kerala police raided the office of Kozhikode Peace Educational Foundation on Thursday, in a case of teaching communal and objectionable content in school textbooks.

The investigating team led by Ernakulam Assistant Commissioner K Laljy was unable to record the statement of the founder of Peace Foundation, MM Akbar. Akbar, who is an Islamic preacher, is reportedly absconding.

According to media reports, the police believe that Akbar fled the country over a month ago, soon after three publishers were arrested by the police. Some media reports state that Akbar is currently in Qatar.

The police have seized several documents including those pertaining to the functioning of the schools and relating to the syllabus and textbooks prescribed for the students.

A case was registered against the school under Section 153-A of the IPC for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language.

Earlier on December 2, the Kochi police recorded the arrest of three Mumbai-based publishers- Dawood Muhamed Vaid, Sameed Ahmed Sheikh and Sahil Hameed- for including objectionable content in the syllabus of Peace School in the district.

During investigation, the police had found that not only were these textbooks not prescribed by the state school curriculum, but a large portion of the syllabus pertained to Islam.

For instance, the Islamic Studies textbook taught in Class 2 had objective-type questions dealing with Islam, sacrificing one’s life for Allah and conversion to Islam among others.

Also read: Kerala police arrest three publishers for objectionable and communal content in school textbooks