Today, Monday, January 29, a 60-year-old principal of a government school in the Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh was detained for allegedly offending religious feelings after pledging people to adopt Buddhism instead of Hindu Gods, police said.
Following the event on January 22, Ratalal Sarovar, Headmaster of a government primary school in Bharari village, was suspended by the district education officer, according to an official.
Several people, including children from Mohtarai hamlet under the jurisdiction of Ratanpur police station, were gathered by Sarovar on January 22, the day of the consecration of Ram Lalla's idol at the Ayodhya temple.
A police officer quoted a complaint by Rupesh Shukla, an office-bearer of a right-wing organisation, which alleged that the principal administered them to pledge to follow Buddhism and not worship Hindu Gods such as Lord Shiva, Rama, and Krishna, PTI reports.
The event surfaced when a video purportedly showing Sarovar's act became viral on social media, he said. The vow administered by the principal seems in line with Dr Ambedkar's 22 vows of Navayana Buddhism.
According to the official, the complaint stated that his actions offended the feelings of Sanatan Dharma followers.
Sarovar was taken into custody on Sunday based on the complaint.
He was booked under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) of the Indian Penal Code, the official said.
A probe was underway into the case, the police added.
