A Page from History ; Those Whom Gods wish to destroy

They first drive Mad
(Last week our special correspondent reported the scandalous conduct of the missionaries of Hazaribagh College, Bihar. Here Are Further Facts of the case. Ed.)

• The Hindu students of St. Columbus College, Hazaribagh, residing in the College hostel, decided to observe Saraswati Puja festival. A week before the Puja, the students sought the Principal’s permission. The Principal first evaded and finally refused.
• Having been refused permission to worship the Goddess of Learning in the hostel, the students applied for leave to perform the ceremony in the servants quarters. The two hostel superintendents.. .PC Horo and KC Vargis… not only refused this permission but   threatened to close down the mess. They even directed the cooks to go away.
• On the intervention of Shri Radha Govind, MLC, this  draconian order of the superintendents was withdrawn. As soon as, however, Shri Radha Govind was gone, Mr Horo threatened students with vengeance at the time of the annual examination.
• The  Students, so threatened, decided to exercise their fundamental constitutional right to worship. Out of deference for Christian sentiments they placed the Murti in one of the rooms in the servants quarters. Next day,  however, they  found the room looked by the authorities. When requested to open the door, the Principal flatly refused saying : “Essentially the college is a church and not a mere educational  institution”.  After intimating the SDC students broke the    lock and performed the Puja.
• The following day the Principal directed students to apologise to Mr. Horo in writing before  2PM. When  no quislings came forth, he rusticated two students, blacklisted all Hindu hostlers, and fined them rupees two each.