Shujalpur (Madhya Pradesh): A sub-health centre of Shujalpur was mired in controversy after an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) organised a mass recital of the Quran before its scheduled shift to new building.
The event, held on November 22, witnessed participation of Maulana, Sarpanch Wahid Khan and around 50 children.
The controversy hogged limelight after photographs of the recitation went viral on government employees' social media group on Thursday.
The ANM, identified as Rubina, reportedly deleted the photos after posting them on the government WhatsApp group. This prompted Block Medical Officer (BMO) of Polay Kalan village Dr Mahendra, to state that a written response would be sought from the ANM regarding the incident.
Rubina defended her actions stating that the Khedi Mandal village was predominantly Muslim and the Quran mass recitation was organised in accordance with the religious beliefs of the community. She claimed members of Hindu community too attended the event.
However, district medical officer Dr Raju Nidaria condemned the activity and said that conducting such events in government premises was inappropriate and against the rules. He said that appropriate action would be taken as per the established regulations.
Shujalpur SDM Satyendra Singh, echoed similar sentiments, emphasising that organising such events without senior’s permission, especially at a time when model code of conduct was in force was against the rules. He emphasised that inaugurations should be conducted following standard protocols, such as cutting a ribbon or installing a picture of the Father of the Nation.
Weighting in on the controversy, Qazi S Rahman of Shujalpur said that the Quran mass recitation was a prayer typically reserved for joyous occasions. He clarified that the recitation holds a special significance during times of celebration.
