NCPCR sends notice against suspension of students for raising 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan in school

MADHYA PRADESH: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has served a notice to the collector of Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district after a local school allegedly suspended 12 students for raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogan.

While the NCPCR action is based on a report published by a Hindi newspaper, the school has, however, denied the incident and claimed that no such action had been taken. Activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest in front of the Saint Joseph Convent School on Monday. ABVP leader Shriram Richharia said action against students was a violation of their fundamental rights.

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Earlier on December 10, NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo in a tweet said, “Taking cognisance of the suspension of children by St. Joseph's Convent School in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh in the name of discipline, @NCPCR_ has issued a notice to @collectorsagar for investigation and action.” Kanoongo also shared the news report published in a Hindi newspaper.

The NCPCR in its notice quoted a newspaper report claiming that 12 students were suspended for raising the slogan "Jai Shri Ram" in the school, while a few others were let go after they submitted apology letters. This was a violation of fundamental rights as provided by the Constitution, the child rights body said. The NCPCR directed the district collector to investigate the published news and submit a report within seven days.

Meanwhile, the school's principal Sister Molly told PTI that only one student had been suspended for indiscipline in the school and the news published in the media was incorrect. District education officer (DEO) Akhilesh Pathak said that no formal complaint about the incident had been made so far. A three-member team of sub-divisional magistrate Sapna Tripathi, DEO Akhilesh Pathak and city superintendent of police (CSP) KP Singh visited the school for a probe on Monday, an official said.