The administration of a school in the Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh got embroiled in legal trouble for allegedly punishing students over chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’. The incident has been reported from the Bharat Mata Convent School located in Ganjbasoda town of Vidisha.
As per the complaint filed with the police, students were reportedly thrashed for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ during the Children’s Day celebration at the school. The case came to light when Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leader Vivek Vishwakarma lodged a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on November 10, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
NCPCR Chairman Priyank Kanoongo visited Bharat Mata Convent School after receiving the complaint. Following an inquiry, the statements of the affected students were recorded, confirming the allegations of mistreatment. Subsequently, an FIR was registered under section 75 (punishment for cruelty to a child) of the Juvenile Justice Act.
According to the report, Kanoongo expressed dissatisfaction with the initial response from the state government. He said, “Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leader Vivek Vishwakarma made a complaint to the commission on November 10 regarding the thrashing of children in the school for chanting Jai Shri Ram during the Children’s Day function. We forwarded it to the state government, but no action was taken in the matter.”
The NCPCR along with the Child Welfare Committee conducted the investigation.
“Two children have recorded written statements confirming the incident. They informed us that they were thrashed by the school principal,” Child Welfare Committee Chairman Prem Singh Dhakad revealed.
In response to the accusations, the school’s principal, Sister Reena, defended the disciplinary action, stating, “The students had acted against the discipline of the school and a minor punishment was given to them.”
According to Vidisha police, the FIR has been registered after the instructions form the NCPCR team and further investigation is underway.
