A charge has been filed against the principal of a private school in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna city for allegedly prohibiting children from reciting a Sanskrit’sloka’ (verse), a police official said on Thursday.
According to sources, the principle has already apologised for the matter.
The alleged event occurred on July 15 at the morning assembly at Vandana Convent School, when three pupils performed ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Bhavantu Sukhmaya’, he stated.
However, the principal, Sister Catherine, seized the microphone from them, claiming that such “shayariya” would not be accepted at the school, according to the incident described in the FIR against her.
After learning of the alleged event two days later, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) became agitated in the school, triggering police action. The ABVP demonstrators requested that a lawsuit be filed against the principal.
Sister Catherine arrived at their demand and apologized for the situation, according to sources.
According to accounts, the principal stated that that day was dedicated for “speaking in English only,” which is why the children were stopped. The principal emphasized her respect for all religions and apologized if she had offended anyone’s religious sensitivities, according to reports.
Despite the apologies, the demonstrators demanded police action and the principal’s removal, according to the official. They remained on the premises for more than two hours, demanding that the sloka be recited in school every day.
District Education Officer (DEO) Chandra Shekhar Sisodia also visited the school and promised to take action following an investigation, according to the official.
On July 22, Guna police station in-charge Anoop Bhargava filed a FIR against the school principal under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintaining harmony) and 299 (outraging religious feelings) in response to a complaint from Saksham Dubey.
Sister Catherine could not be reached despite multiple tries.
Meanwhile, amid allegations that the school’s supporters want to close the institute due to the incident, Shekhar Vashisht, opposition leader in the Guna civic council, advised the administration not to accept such ideas, claiming that they would jeopardize the future of thousands of students.
