A sinister campaign to tarnish the image of Sri Rama Vidya Kendra in Kalladka has taken off. Not surprisingly the sponsors of this campaign are Congress IT cell members and their sympathizers in the media.
On December 16th, several Congress social media handles shared a clipped video of a group of children enacting a scene which resembled the bringing down of the Babri Mosque. Many who took it at face value started to foul-mouthed the school and its President Dr. Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat. They were called names and charged with brainwashing children. However, the facts about the play and the content reveal a different story.
Sri Rama Vidya Kendra in Kalladka in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka is known to instill nationalistic values and patriotism in its students. The school is also known for its unique system of education where children are taught to be self-reliant, trained in various vocations from young age and impetus given to life skills. The school has been the target of Congress government in the state for many years. During Siddaramaih’s regime, the Congress government cut the aid to the school from Kolluru Mookambika Temple which funded the mid-day meal of the children. Dr. Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat’s association with the RSS has always been an anathema for the Congress and its workers.
Play part of annual Kreedotsava
As every year, the school had organised its annual ‘Kreedotsava’ – sports day celebrations which was attended by Puducherry Governor Dr Kiran Bedi and several BJP ministers of the state cabinet. And as per yearly itinerary, the children of the school enact a play that depicts the most prominent event of the current year. Last year, the children enacted a play on the Surgical Strikes. In 2017, the play was themed over Mangalyaan. In 2016, the play depicting the reasons for hanging Afzal Guru and Ajmal Kasab.
This year, with the verdict on Ram Janmabhumi by SC and its importance to the country, a play themed after the Ram Janmabhumi movement was played by the children. The part video showing the bringing down the Babri Structure was only a small section of the play. The play also had scenes from Ram Janmabhumi Rath Yatra, Ram Shila poojan across the country, collection of bricks for temple, etc. The scene actually depicted that the angry Karsevaks indulged in bringing down the structure despite leaders of the movement requesting them not to do so.
Patriotic Plays part of annual celebrations
Speaking on the play and the video that has gone viral on social media, Dr. Prabhakar Bhat in a video address has informed that a small part of the entire play is being deliberately shared to tarnish the school’s image. He also says that no one raised any objection all these years for similar plays and creating a hullabaloo over it this year shows their desperation. With the SC’s verdict, a historical wrong has been corrected and the play only depicted the same. The play neither bad mouthed anyone or defamed any persons or community. Showcasing a major event which matters to our nation and civilization is not at all wrong, said Dr. Prabhakar Bhat.
Infact, a play on success of Chandrayaan-2 and failure of the Vikram Lander was also enacted on stage in a different play. It is evident that the Congress IT cell and its sympathizers chose to share only a part of the play that would titillate the masses and create a controversy.
