In what is considered a step towards a tolerant society, the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), issued notices to the school asking them to refrain from punishing students for wearing Rakhi, mehendi, and Tilak after Raksha Bandhan.
The move has been accepted with open hearts by the Hindus and the NCPCR and chief Priyank Kanoongo is being applauded for the same.
Here is what the circular say?
In a note addressed to the Principal Secretaries of School Education Departments in all states and union territories, the NCPCR pointed out that students face corporal punishment for wearing Rakhi, mehendi, and Tilak following Raksha Bandhan.
The letter stated that, the commission receives a lot of reports and complaints where students have shared how they face punishments for wearing all of this after the Hindu festival.
“It has been noticed that schools do not allow children to wear rakhi or tilak or mehendi in schools during the festival of Raksha Bandhan and subject them to harassment, both physical and mental. It may be noted that corporal punishment is prohibited in schools under Section 17 of the RTE Act, 2009,” the NCPCR said.
The commission taking cognizance of these cases has directed the school body to refrain from punishing students based on these grounds.
“Therefore, it is requested to issue necessary directions to the concerned authorities and ensure that schools do not observe any such practice that may expose children to corporal punishment or discrimination,” said the top child rights body.
Cases where schools have barred students from wearing Kalawa, Tilak and others
Earlier this week, a class 10 student was thrashed by his teacher Farooq Ahmed for writing Jai Shri Ram on the blackboard in Jammu & Kashmir’s Kathua. We at Organiser have compiled a list of 15 such cases reported across the country where students have faced punishments, suspensions and threats for wearing Tilak, Kalawa or Bindi in school. In some instances, the students have even died.
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