On Saturday, July 8, some of the students from a private school in the Indore city of Madhya Pradesh were beaten for applying tilak (a symbol of Hinduism) on their forehead. Around 7-8, students were slapped and asked to remove the tilak. Meanwhile, one of the students was also removed from the school premises.
According to the reports, the incident is said to have happened in the Bal Vigyan Shishu Vihar Higher Secondary School located on Dhara Road, Indore. Around 6-7, students were slapped by a teacher identified as Padma Sisodia. The students were also threatened to be removed and issued TC if they continue to sport tilak on the school premises.
The controversy erupted after the parents of the students came to know about the incident and reached out to the principal to seek answers. The Principal Omprakash Singh happened to justify the teacher’s actions and said that no student was allowed to sport tilak on the school premises.
The video of the incident went viral over the internet in which the teacher could be heard saying that the school was run based on “sarva dharma sambhaav” (equality and harmony among all religions).
Higher authorities toying with children’s education in Indore.
Students were denied entry in school premises for applying “Tilak” on their forehead.
After constant complaints by the parents no action has been taken. pic.twitter.com/5eAp4lVeRT— Hate Tracker (@HatetrackIN) July 9, 2023
The enraged parents of the students said that their children go to the temples daily and hence they wear the tilak on their forehead. On this, the principal said that the school didn’t want to encourage any dharmic activity in the school and also added that the students shall not sport any kind of tilak on their forehead. He further said that the school would take the decision post the District Education Officer (DEO)’s directions.
District Education Officer (DEO) Manglesh Kumar Vyas commented on the issue and said that the issue was discussed well with the Principal. “The school principal told me some people are giving this matter undue importance. However, he has expressed regret and said he would hold a meeting with parents of students to sort it out,” Vyas said.
“The school management has been asked to maintain harmony among all religions in the institution. To maintain discipline in schools, students can be asked to wear the same uniform. However, if a student comes to school with a tilak on his birthday, after worshipping or on any special occasion, he cannot be asked to remove it,” he was additionally quoted.
