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Patna: A Bihar coaching centre’s Teacher’s Day dance performance on Saturday, September 5, has sparked controversy after videos surfaced that show students clad in burqas with white paint on their faces and hair open.

Facing flak, the organisers of the event, Students Career Platform in Bihar’s Forbesganj, later clarified that it was a “Bhoothiya dance” and was never meant to hurt the sentiments of any religion. Videos of the dance circulating on social media have received widespread condemnation, with users pointing out that the students wearing burqas were dancing to a mix of provocative songs.

Several users on social media tagged the Bihar Police to take cognisance of the matter and take appropriate action, as the students had used attire which, for many women, represents their religious identity.

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Video deleted after backlash

The organisers have since deleted the video from their official Instagram account and issued an apology video. One of the organisers said in the video that the event was held on September 5 on the occasion of Teachers’ Day and included several performances, including Chhath Puja and “Army Dance”.

“Waise hi, ek act tha bhoothiya dance jismein bachche black costume pehenkar dance kar rahe the (One of the acts was a ‘ghost dance’ performed by children dressed in black costumes),” the person said.

He added, “However, a video of this performance has since gone viral, with claims that SCP offended a particular religion—something that was absolutely not the intention; the performance was purely for the children’s entertainment. Nevertheless, if anyone felt hurt or if sentiments were offended, the SCP team sincerely apologises.”

This is not the first time a burqa or religious clothing associated with Islam was used for “entertainment” purposes using provocative songs. Earlier, on Independence Day during a Uttar Pradesh school performance, a group of girls was seen dancing to a Bhojpuri song in burqas and hijabs.