Minor students forced to chant “Allahu Akbar” after recitation of the Bhagavad Gita by principal in government school
Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, India 
30 November, 2025
Case Summary
On 1st December 2025, a government school in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, experienced turmoil after the acting principal, Pratiksha Mangarde, instructed students to chant the phrase “Allahu Akbar” sixteen times in class. This occurred immediately after the students had read verses from the Bhagavad Gita on the occasion of Gita Jayanti. The incident prompted a strong backlash from parents, who were upset after their children shared the details at home. As word of the incident spread, parents, along with members of local Hindu organisations, gathered outside the school to demand accountability. They called for the principal's suspension and removal. The situation escalated, leading to the arrival of police officers and the District Education Officer, S.S. Kumre, who attempted to calm the growing crowd. In response to the protests and complaints, authorities transferred Mangarde to the District Education Office while a further investigation was initiated. Additionally, formal complaints were lodged with the Ari police station, with some calling for legal action against Mangarde, accusing her of imposing religious practices in a public school.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category: Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within it, the sub-category selected is: Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The other subcategory selected is- Abrahamic religious chanting outside Hindu religious places and/or during Hindu activities. In Hinduism, a temple is the abode of the Deity. The Deity in the Temple is consecrated, thereby, making it a real, breathing entity. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the temple premises itself are sacred to Hindus since Hindus hold the faith that the entire Temple space is an amalgamation of the divine energy of the deity. Similarly, religious activities hold deep significance for Hindus, as they are intricately connected to their spiritual, cultural, and social lives. These practices encompass rituals, festivals, prayers, and pilgrimages that celebrate and honour various deities, fostering a sense of spiritual connection, community, and cultural continuity. Given the central significance of Temples and religious activities in Hindu Dharma, any aggressive Abrahamic chanting outside Temples or during religious activities negates the divinity of the religious space because the chanting itself negates the existence of any other God other than the God of the Abrahamic faith. Such chanting is specifically done to negate the faith of Hindus, establish religious supremacy, intimidate the devotees and mock the faith. Besides temples, such Abrahamic chanting outside any Hindu place of worship or religious structure or during any religious activity has the same effect. Since such acts are rooted in an inherent religious supremacist mentality driven by religious animosity, such crimes would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. The second category selected here is- Predatory Proselytisation. Under this, the subcategory chosen is- Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination. Within this, the tertiary category selected is- Conversion of minor. Religious brainwashing essentially means the often subtle and forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up their religious beliefs to accept contrasting regimented ideas. Religious grooming or brainwashing also involves propaganda and manipulation. It involves the systematic effort, driven by religious malice and indoctrination, to persuade “non-believers’ to accept allegiance, command, or doctrine to and of a contrasting faith. Cases of such grooming or brainwashing are far more nuanced than direct threats, coercion, inducement and violence. In such cases, it is often seen that there is repeated, subtle and continual manipulation of the victim to induce disaffection towards their own faith and acceptance of the contrasting faith of the perpetrator. While subtle indoctrination is widely acknowledged as predatory, an element which is often understated in such conversions or the attempts of such conversion is the role of loyalty and trust which might develop between the perpetrator and the victim. Fiduciary relationships are often abused to affect such religious conversion. For example, an educator transmitting religious doctrine of a competing faith to a Hindu student. The Hindu student is likely to accept what the teacher is transmitting owing to the existence of the fiduciary relationship. The exploitation of the fiduciary relationship to religiously indoctrinate victims would also be included in this category. Since the underlying animosity towards the victim’s faith forms the basis of predatory proselytisation, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. This case has been added to the tracker because students at a government school were forced to chant "Allahu Akbar" 16 times immediately after reciting verses from the Bhagavad Gita, which they were reciting on the auspicious occasion of Gita Jayanti. The principal instructed the children to chant the Islamic phrase in unison, treating it as a compulsory act linked to the Gita recitation. To understand the seriousness of this act, it is essential to recognise the significance of Gita Jayanti for Hindus. Gita Jayanti marks the revelation of the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna imparts eternal wisdom to Arjuna on dharma, duty, devotion and spiritual realisation. Reciting the Gita on this day is a sacred observance rooted in reverence and reflection. It is not a general cultural event but a religious act performed with devotion. Forcing children to chant an Islamic slogan immediately after the Gita recitation directly interfered with and defiled a Hindu religious custom. The sanctity of a Hindu ritual was disrupted by imposing a contradictory religious affirmation, altering the sacred sequence of the observance. Such an act strips the ritual of its spiritual integrity and sends the message that Hindu practices are incomplete or unacceptable unless diluted with expressions from another faith. This behaviour reflects a mindset in which the principal viewed the Hindu scripture as communal and believed it needed to be countered through Islamic chanting. This is a form of disrespect toward Hindu traditions and is an attack on the autonomy and sanctity of Hindu religious customs. This treatment of Hindu scripture and philosophy as inherently problematic fosters an atmosphere where Hindu children feel pressured to suppress their faith. It creates confusion and shame, conditioning them to believe that expressing Hindu identity is controversial. Such manipulation is especially concerning because children are highly impressionable and depend on teachers for guidance. When authority figures compel minors to participate in practices of another faith, it becomes a method of psychological conditioning. It gradually distances children from their cultural roots and normalises the idea that Hindu practices must be overshadowed or corrected by other religious expressions. These actions cannot be dismissed as isolated. They reflect a wider pattern in which Hindu customs and rituals are ridiculed, restricted or forcefully altered in schools and institutions. Hindu children are increasingly pressured, prohibited or subtly punished for expressing their identity. Such acts serve as the first step in grooming, where repeated interference with Hindu practices makes children more vulnerable to religious manipulation. The fact that the victims were minors further intensifies the severity of the offence. Children do not possess the cognitive maturity to resist coercion from school authorities. Their participation in chanting another religion’s invocation was not voluntary. It was enforced by an adult in a position of power, demonstrating bias and hostility toward the Hindu faith. Given the forced chanting, the deliberate defilement of a Hindu ritual, and the underlying hostility towards Hindu belief and identity, this incident clearly qualifies as a religiously motivated hate crime and is therefore recorded in the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
