MANGALURU: Uneasy calm prevailed outside
St Gerosa school
in Jeppu on Monday, after parents and students accused a teacher of making allegedly derogatory statements against Hindu Gods, Hindu religion and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside the classroom. After action that unfolded throughout the day, school management finally decided to remove the accused teacher.
Sr Anitha, headmistress, St Gerosa English Higher Primary School, told reporters that the teacher, Sr Prabha, has been
removed
and a new teacher will be appointed in her place. The move was to ensure transparency in the inquiry to be conducted by the district officers. “We will abide by the final decision of the inquiry team. Such an unfortunate incident had not taken place in the 60-year-old school. The incident has created temporary mistrust. We abide by the constitutional values and treat all faith and communities equally,” she said.
The decision was taken following a lengthy meeting attended by Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP, City police commissioner Anupam Agrawal, DDPI DR Naik and the staff and management representatives at the school campus after the public along with the MLA protested demanding action. DC said that the inquiry will be completed at the earliest.
Earlier during the day, MLAs D Vedavyas Kamath, Dr Bharath Shetty, VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell and others met the DDPI and submitted a memorandum demanding the suspension of a teacher. The DDPI in turn had assured the protestors to look into the demands. After submitting a memorandum, parents and members of Hindu organisations reached the school. As MLA vented out anger over the failure of the management to take appropriate action, the students too started making allegations against the the accused teacher and another male teacher. The MLA claimed that he was made to wait for four hours.
On Saturday, parents reportedly sought an explanation from the school’s headmistress over the alleged derogatory remarks by a teacher in the classroom. The incident came to light after an audio clip reportedly by a parent and addressed to a VHP leader went viral. The parent claimed that a class seven teacher had made derogatory remarks hurting religious sentiments when taking up a moral science lesson `Work is Worship.’ The teacher had allegedly spoken about Ram Mandir and Prime Minister Modi in the classroom