Jharkhand: Missionary school Carmel Convent forces Hindu child to remove ‘Kalawa’, beat him to get it removed

On July 20, reports of Hindu activists protesting outside a missionary school in Bokaro, Jharkhand, came out. The activists assembled outside the school on July 18, after a minor Hindu boy was thrashed by the teachers for wearing ‘Kalawa’ (a sacred thread). It is noteworthy that the accused is aided by government funds and is present almost in every state of India, ‘The Carmel Convent’ school.

The incident comes within 10 days of the suicide of a minor Hindu girl in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad. Notably, Usha Kumari killed herself by writing a suicide note, stating she felt humiliated after the school staff slapped her for wearing a Bindi in school.

As per the reports, a class 9 student of the convent school was punished for allegedly wearing a ‘Kalawa.’ The teachers made him cut the thread. Following this information, the Hindu activists assembled at the school and protested. They also met the principal of the school, Sister Joyce Kullu A.C. The activists demanded that the principal initiate an inquiry into the case and take immediate action against the accused teacher.

The activists meeting the principal, Joyce, include Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Dhanbad chief, Vinay Kumar, Bajrang Dal’s block convenor Saurabh Singh, Deepak Verma, Vinod Singh, Vikas Kumar, Somnath Nayak, Suman Kumar Thakur, etc.

As per the details shared by the activists, on July 18, the Hindu student reached school wearing a Kalawa. The monitor of his classroom complained about this to a school teacher named Amit Lakda. The teacher, in turn, scolded Karan and asked him to remove it. He told the student that wearing the sacred thread was forbidden in school and ordered him to remove it immediately.

As per the media reports, the student refused to remove the thread, saying, it was a matter of his faith. Angered by this, the teacher started beating and humiliating him in front of the class. Later, the teacher cut the Kalawa tied to his wrist with a blade. He reprimanded the student and asked him to get his father to school the next day.

Notably, the student told everything to his parents after which the Hindu activists assembled in the school. The teacher, however, refuted all the allegations saying he respects all religions equally.

The principal of the school, Sister Joyce Kullu A.C. said that she did not have any information about the student being assaulted by the accused teacher. She further said that the School Management Committee will investigate the entire matter, and only after that action be taken accordingly.

Organiser reported a similar case on July 11, from the Dhanbad district of Jharkhand. Here, a 17-year-old Hindu girl killed herself after her teacher at Saint Xavier School insulted her in front of the whole school.

She wrote a suicide letter before hanging from the ceiling fan and named the teacher as the reason for her suicide. She said, “I am not able to digest the insult, so killing myself”.

Usha was upset over her insult in front of the whole class. Notably, one of her teachers identified as Sindu Mam, not only scolded Usha but also slapped her for wearing a Bindi at the school. Usha committed suicide on July 10 in her house.

Following the family’s complaint, the accused teacher and the principal of the school were booked.

Organiser reported a similar case from Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, a 17-year-old Hindu girl Lavanya Muruganantham committed suicide. She was a student of Sacred Heart Girls Higher Secondary School, a recognized minority school administered by Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Her parents alleged that the student was forced to do work by the warden after she allegedly refused to convert to Christianity.

On January 9, 2022, Lavanya consumed pesticide in an attempt to kill herself. After she was taken to a hospital, she regained consciousness but ultimately died on January 19, 2022.

Organiser reported a case from Pune where students at a catholic school were forced to recite Church prayers. At DY Patil school, students were not allowed to speak Marathi, the principal disrespected our national anthem and a list of such behaviour.