UP school principal cleared in 'biryani expulsion' controversy
A three-member inquiry committee has cleared a school principal in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha district of allegations that he expelled a Class 3 student for bringing non-vegetarian biryani to school. The committee found no corroborative evidence to support claims that the principal physically assaulted the student or confined him in a solitary room for three hours before expelling him on September 5. The controversy erupted after a video of a conversation between the principal and the student's mother went viral.
Inquiry committee's investigation and findings
The inquiry committee, comprising Snehlata Kumari, Lalit Kumar, and Dharam Singh—principals of various government schools in Amroha—conducted an investigation. According to reports, they interviewed 22 guardians of students, reviewed CCTV footage from the day of the incident, and examined the school register. "They also spoke to the parents of the student before arriving at the conclusion that neither was he expelled from school nor was he beaten up or confined to a solitary room," a source told the Indian Express.
Principal's language and student's behavior under scrutiny
However, the committee did express concern over the principal's alleged use of inappropriate language, as seen in the viral video. District Inspector Of Schools (DIOS), VP Singh, stated that "though the video was doctored, the committee found that the principal should have avoided such harsh language while talking to a guardian at his office." The inquiry also revealed claims from other Class 3 students' mothers about unusual behavior by the boy in question over recent months.
Principal and mother's conflicting accounts
Notably, the principal has refuted the expulsion claims, stating that it was the student's mother who decided to enroll him in another school. He also mentioned unpaid school fees since April and a recent incident where the boy brought non-vegetarian food to school against its code of conduct. Contrarily, the boy's mother alleged that her son was labeled a "terrorist" by the principal for sharing non-veg food and damaging a temple within the school campus.
