Bareilly teacher’s poem on Kanwar Yatra sparks row, case filed

A teacher’s poem urging students not to participate in the Kanwar pilgrimage in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, has sparked a massive row in the state. While Hindutva outfits have accused the teacher of misleading students about the Kanwar tradition and hurting sentiments through his poem, a case has been filed in this regard at the Bahedi Police Station.

In his defence, the teacher, Dr Rajneesh Gangwar, has claimed that he merely recited a poem to encourage students to focus on their studies, and harbours no ill will towards any religion.

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‘Don’t go for Kanwar, light the lamp of knowledge’

Gangwar, a faculty at the MGM Inter College in Bahedi, Bareilly, had recited the poem at the morning assembly in a bid to motivate students to focus on their education.

However, a line in the poem, referring to the Kanwar Yatra became a potent fuel for controversy after a video of the recital went viral.

In the poem, the teacher said, “Don’t go for Kanwar, light the lamp of knowledge.”

As the particular line kicked up a storm on social media, critics questioned why Kanwar was mentioned at all to stress the importance of education, claiming it hurt the religious sentiments of the majority community.

At the same time, several users came out in support of the teacher, arguing that he was simply fulfilling his duty by encouraging students to concentrate on academics.

Case filed

As the matter escalated, Hindu organisations joined the protest. Members of the Mahakal Seva Samiti lodged a complaint at the Bahedi police station against the teacher. Their complaint states: "Teacher Rajneesh Gangwar gathered students at school and made objectionable comments about the Kanwar pilgrimage. The video went viral on social media and has deeply hurt the sentiments of all Shiv devotees and Kanwar pilgrims. People like Rajneesh are misleading others by pointing fingers at this sacred tradition."

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Wanted to encourage studies: Teacher

Following the backlash, the school principal sought an explanation from the teacher. Gangwar defended himself by stating that his intention was to encourage students to study.

“I noticed that student attendance was low during the assembly. Upon inquiry, I found that some had gone for the Kanwar pilgrimage. So, I recited a poem I had written to motivate them to prioritise education. There was no intention to hurt any religious sentiments,” he said.

However, various groups and residents have demanded strict action on the matter. They have cited a particularly controversial line in the poem: “No one became a DM or SP by carrying Kanwar.”

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Confirming the developments, the Circle Officer of Bahedi told The Federal that a case has been registered against Gangwar following the complaint, and further legal action is underway.

(This story was originally published in The Federal Desh)