UP school punishes students for singing 'Vande Mataram', probe ordered
Students of an aided intermediate college in UP's Ballia are being punished for singing "Vande Mataram" or chanting "Bharat Mata ki Jai". The Ballia district administration has taken a serious note of a complaint regarding this and ordered an inquiry. The incident came into light after some members of Manas Mandir, a social welfare organization, visited GMAM Inter College on Bilthara Road yesterday.
Teachers, students complained about the punishment on camera
The members of the organization found that the students in the institution were being punished for singing "Vande Mataram" or chanting "Bharat Mata ki Jai" after the school prayers and complained about the same to the authorities. According to the manager of the organization, Shiv Kumar Jaiswal, not only the students even the teachers complained about the same on camera.
Student was made to squat for hours as a punishment
"Economics teacher Sanjay Pandey told us that there was a ban on singing Vande Mataram and chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai in the school and anyone doing so is punished," Jaiswal said. "Pandey told us that one student, who by mistake had chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' after the assembly, was made to squat under the sun for hours," he added.
Copy of complaints, statements' recordings sent to UP CM
"The students also told us that they were punished if they tried to sing Vande Mataram," said Jaiswal, adding, he has already sent a copy of the complaint along with video recordings of the statements made by students and teachers to UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
Complaint is conspiracy to defame the institution: Principal
Manas Mandir has also shared the video on social media. When contacted, District Magistrate Bhawani Singh Khangaraut said District Inspector of School (DIOS) Narendra Dev Pandey was directed to look into it. "Stern action will be taken against those found responsible for it," Khangaraut emphasized. Meanwhile, the principal of the college, Majid Nasir, claimed that the complaint was a conspiracy to defame the institution.
