Mita Mukherjee

The Bengal government has asked state-aided schools to ensure that students don’t participate in political rallies or any programme outside the institutions during class hours amid protests continuing across the state against the rape and murder of a junior doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The state government issued a number of orders after guardians of some schools lodged a complaint with the school education department that their wards were taken to protest rallies without their consent, an official of the school education department said. Several schools have been issued show cause notices to explain why teachers took students to rallies and they have been asked to explain why they had done so within 24 hours and strict action would be taken against them if they failed to do so.

“ It has come to our knowledge that a rally has been organized during School Hours by the teachers and students of your School on 23.08. 2024. Such activities put students under threat as it is not safe and this is violation of child rights. Keeping the above in mind, you are show caused to explain why such activities happened involving the teachers and students of your school. You are directed to reply to this show cause letter within 24 hours, otherwise strict action will be taken,” the district inspector of schools of Howrah district wrote to the headmaster of school in the district on Friday.

According to a senior official of the state school education department, the government has received complaints that many schools had taken their students to participate in various protests including rallies and road block programmes over the past few days. “ This will not be tolerated,” a senior official said.

The state commissioner of school education on Friday issued a separate circular to inspector of schools of all districts asking schools to strictly adhere to provision 17 of the right of children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 that prohibits physical torture and punishment or mental harassment to children in school. In the said circular, the government reiterated its directive regarding not taking students in political rallies.

“ …. Under Sub Rule 18 of Rule 4 of West Bengal Board of Secondary ( Appointment, Confirmation, Conduct and Discipline of Teachers and Non-Teaching Staff) Rules, 2018 no punishment can be inflicted on children/students which is barred under any law……”

The notice said these provisions should again be widely circulated and brought to the notice of all teachers and non-teaching and other staff working in state-aided primary and secondary schools “so as to ensure that these provisions are strictly adhered to and that no physical torture/punishment or mental harassment of the children/students takes place in any school, under any circumstance. Further, in reiterating the earlier orders, it is stated that school children should also not be allowed to participate in political programmes during school hours…”

In the order schools have been asked to strictly follow this and any violation would be “viewed seriously and action would be initiated as per Rules.’

Opposition parties and groups who have hit the streets protesting the rape and murder of the junior doctor have criticized the government orders. Several schools where protest rallies have been organized have urged the government to withdraw the orders. However, many schools organized protest programmes defying the government order.

Also read: RG Kar’s descendants express hopelessness over doctors’ security on his 172nd birth anniversary