MP school play triggers row; student dressed in ‘RSS’ clothes plays Nathuram Godse

Hindu Seva Parishad has filed a complaint in Lordganj police station against the play in Small Wonder School  |  Photo Credit: Times Now

Jabalpur: A huge row has erupted after pictures from a school in Madhya Pradesh emerged showing a child portraying the character of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, dressed in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) uniform.

The play, organised on the occasion of 150^th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, showcased the life of the Father of the Nation. One of the pictures, that are being circulated on social media, shows a student playing Godse's character dressed in a white shirt, half brown knickers and black cap (the dress code typical of RSS) holding a gun and directing at a student playing the role of Mahatma Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Hindu Seva Parishad has filed a complaint in Lordganj police station against the October 2 play in Jabalpur's 'Small Wonder School', located in Baldeobagh. The picture has also been submitted as a piece of evidence.

"In the drama played at the Small Wonder School, it was shown that the child donning RSS dress is shooting Mahatma Gandhi which is completely wrong. This has been done to malign the image of RSS which organises 'shakas' for children and teaches them ethics, inculcate moral values and nationalism. The act on the part of school is giving a wrong direction to the future of the nation and has generated anger among the Hindus and nationalist elements," read the complaint.

Meanwhile, Nitin Sonpali, the general secretary, Hindu Sewa Parishad, said: "We have asked the police that criminal cases should be slapped against the Principal and organisers of the school. They are spreading hatred and wrong feeling against RSS among the children."

However, the MP Police have cleared that an FIR cannot be filed in such a case. They have filed a NCR (Non-Cognisable Offense Information Report) against the school, and the organisation has been asked to approach a court.

"This is not a cognisable offence and hence FIR is not registered. We have done NCR and have asked them to approach the court. Their objection was that the boy playing the role was dressed in attire which is typical of a particular organisation. They said that it is an attempt to malign the image of the organisation," said Jabalpur Superintendent of Police Amit Singh.

In 2014, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had courted controversy when he said that the RSS people killed Mahatma Gandhi.

“RSS people killed Gandhiji and today their people (BJP) talk of him... They opposed Sardar Patel and Gandhiji,” Rahul Gandhi had said during a rally in Maharashtra.

Rahul Gandhi was later cleared of defamation charges after he told the Supreme Court that he never meant to accuse the RSS as an institution, of assassinating Gandhi.