Hindutva push seeks to erase Muslim name from Indian school
Row over “Islampura” primary school reflects broader Hindutva drive to rename places and remove Islamic identity from public spaces
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A small government primary school in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has become the latest flashpoint in Hindu nationalist efforts to strip Muslim heritage from public memory, highlighting tensions over identity, education, and communal coexistence in India’s heartland.
According to the news outlet Clarion India, the dispute centers on a school in Khamaria village, Damoh district, officially registered as “Islampura” after the neighborhood in which it stands.
Hindu groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), have demanded the name be changed and accused the institution of displaying Islamic symbols such as “Eid Mubarak” slogans and star motifs on its walls.
VHP leaders visiting the school argued that “religious names” have no place in state institutions and pressed authorities for an inquiry. Local education officials acknowledged the school has been listed under its current name since inception, but said any change could be considered if villagers formally request it.
The controversy mirrors earlier campaigns in India where Hindu nationalist groups pushed for renaming cities, streets, and markets with Islamic origins. From Allahabad being rechristened Prayagraj to Mughalsarai Junction becoming Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, such symbolic changes have become political tools to assert Hindu majoritarian dominance.
The school itself remains a modest institution with just 20 pupils and two Hindu teachers. Its administrator defended the school’s record, saying it has served all children without bias and would remove any disputed writings if necessary. Muslim parents stressed that the facility is a shared space in a mixed community and has long fostered peaceful coexistence.
Damoh officials said an investigation is under way into the wall paintings and reiterated that procedures exist for formally renaming schools if demanded. Community leaders, however, warn that the row risks importing sectarian politics into a village where Hindus and Muslims have lived side by side for generations.
The clash over Islampura reflects how Hindutva politics extends beyond monuments and city names to everyday spaces like schools. By targeting Muslim identity at the most local level, Hindu nationalist groups aim to normalize erasure as part of daily governance, deepening exclusion and rewriting India’s cultural memory.
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