‘Bias’ during PM’s speech: School staff transferred

Our Correspondent

Kullu, February 21

Education Secretary Arun Sharma said all teaching staff of high school in Chesta village had been transferred after alleged discrimination with students of a particular category during PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Pariksha Par Charcha’ speech on February 16. He said further action would be taken on analysing the report sent by the Kullu district administration. The principal of the school had already been relieved of his charge.

Kullu Deputy Commissioner Yunus Khan said the committee formed to conduct an inquiry into the matter had submitted its report today and it had been forwarded to the authorities concerned. He said the committee had established that a caste-based discrimination was prevalent in the school and students of a particular category had to face the same during the PM’s televised programme.

In a complaint to the DC by some of the students, they had alleged that they were made to sit in a place meant for cattle and horses outside the courtyard where the television had been setup for the interaction of students with the PM. The students had also alleged discrimination during the mid-day meals at the school.

Kullu ASP Nishchint Singh Negi said an FIR had been registered under the SC and the ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 at the Bhuntar police station against the school administration and the school management committee.

The DC said necessary criminal, disciplinary and corrective measures would be taken to rectify the problem and other such issues. He said that a team would be sent to provide counselling to schoolchildren and their parents to change their approach towards caste-based discrimination and untouchability. He said such a matter had come to his notice for the first time and a block-level task force would be made to randomly inspect the schools to prevent and rectify such issues in future.