The Ballia police in Uttar Pradesh is investigating a matter where Gandhi Mohammad Ali Memorial Inter College in Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh has been allegedly punishing students for chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogans.

The Ballia district administration, taking serious note of a complaint received by them alleging that the students of an inter-college at Belthara Road area in Ballia district were punished for chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ has ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter, as reported by various media houses.

After a video, showing a student being punished for singing ‘Vande Mataram’ and chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, went viral on social media, members of a social welfare organisation, Manas Mandir, visited the GMAM Inter College on Bilthara Road and while speaking to the students of the institution did confirm that students were being punished for the same, reported OneIndia.

According to the manager of the organisation, Shiv Kumar Jaiswal, not only the students but the teachers also complained about the same on camera. Jaiswal furthered that, “Economics teacher Sanjay Pandey told us that there was a ban on singing Vande Mataram and chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai in the school and anyone doing so is punished. Pandey told us that one student, who by mistake had chanted ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ after the assembly, was made to squat under the sun for hours”.

Shiv Kumar Jaiswal taking a serious note of this incident, wrote a letter, (dated October 5, 2018) and attached a copy of the complaint and the video recordings of the statements of the students and teachers, as proof to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, and urged him to look into the matter and derecognise the Gandhi Mohammad Ali Memorial Inter College for such an shameful act.

Refuting the allegations, the college principal, Majid Nasir, called it “baseless and an attempt to malign the school’s reputation”.

When contacted, District Magistrate Bhawani Singh Khangaraut said the matter was serious and that District Inspector of School (DIOS) Narendra Dev Pandey was directed to look into it.

The police has now asserted that they couldn’t find definitive proof, but have asked their teams to be on alert.

Note: This story has been updated with new information that has come to light.