Mohammad Furqan Ali, the headmaster of a government-run school in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, was recently suspended after the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) complained that he was making the students recite Urdu prayers. The state government on Saturday revoked the suspension of Furqan Ali, but transferred him to a different school. He said he was “not happy” with the transfer because of the threat it posed to his old school, where most pupils have been boycotting classes since his suspension on Monday. Just five of the 267 students were present on Thursday and 33 on Friday at the Gayaspur Primary School in Pilibhit district.
