KARACHI: The management of Mama Baby Care School, which recently hit the headlines after news of some students there dancing to an Indian tune became viral, has given their side of the story to Dawn.

“It is being said about us that we played the Indian national anthem, which is not true,” said Fatima Abdul Rahman, the school principal. “We played the title song of the Bollywood film Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. And somehow one of our technicians found graphics of the Indian flag to be shown in the background while the song played. But it was our school’s open day and we were educating students about the culture of different countries. We also played other songs associated with other countries, including Pakistan,” she said.

The programme was organised by all the four branches of the school at their newest branch, which has opened at Kashmir Road. “It was also going to serve as an orientation,” the principal said. “The staff of all our four Cambridge branches was included in the planning of the programme. Different classes were assigned different themes. We assigned Pakistan and its four provinces to the pre-primary section and they showcased our handicrafts, clothes, cuisine and songs. Similarly, we also assigned some other countries to other sections. For instance there were Australia, China, Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK and USA,” she said, adding that they also had the Khana-i-Kaabah, Masjid-i-Nabavi for Saudi Arabia, the Great Wall of China for China, the Pyramids for Egypt, London Bridge for the UK, etc.

‘We played the title song of Bollywood film Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani’

“Just like showing what each country is famous for, we showed the Taj Mahal for India along with some of their stars, especially their sports and film stars,” she pointed out. “Our purpose for including India was to spread some awareness about that land along with teaching children about peace and tolerance, and nothing more.”

The school’s owner and chairperson Shabih-e-Zehra also said that the perception formed was unintentional on their part. “We apologise for the misunderstanding caused by the programme. We are also citizens of this country. We love Pakistan. Mama Baby Care is a 30-year-old school, which was only trying to teach children about other countries,” she said.

About the show-cause notice sent to the school and their registration being suspended thereafter by the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sindh, the chairperson said that they received the show-cause notice after they got the suspension letter. “Had we received the show-cause notice in time, we would have appeared before the School Education and Literacy Department to explain our side. But sadly, we got the suspension letter straightaway as it was delivered to us by hand and the show-cause, which was mailed came later,” she said.

“We assure you that out intentions were not what it looks like. We have not betrayed our country.”

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2019