A case has been registered against a government school teacher for reciting a poem in the morning assembly to encourage students to focus only on studies and dream big.

A video has gone viral showing Rajnish Gangwar, a teacher at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Inter College in Bahedi, Bareilly, reciting his self-composed poem that starts with the line: "Tum kanwar lene mat jana, tum gyan ke deep jalana (Don't go to fetch the kanwar, instead light the lamp of knowledge)."

Another line of Gangwar's poem says: "Manavata ki seva karke sachche manav ban jana, kanwar lene mat jana… Raajniti ab dharmniti ab, ye punjiwadi yug hai, Janata ke hai dharma-afeem se bauraya jag hai (Serve humanity and become a good human being. Don't go to fetch the kanwar…Politics is religious policy now, it is the age of capitalism. The opium of religion is making people crazy)."

The police have charged Gangwar with "deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings".

Arun Kumar, circle officer of Bahedi, said on Tuesday: "Gangwar allegedly assembled the students on the school ground a few days ago and read out his poem that had an objectionable message against kanwars. The poem is going viral on social media. We have received a complaint and filed an FIR based on it."

After the FIR was lodged against him, Gangwar said: "The kids can't become district magistrate and superintendent of police by carrying kanwar. They have to study hard for it. Getting knowledge is a more difficult task than most people believe. I was only encouraging the students to believe in studies, and it was not meant to hurt anybody's sentiment."