GUWAHATI: A huge outcry occurred at a Christian Missionary School in Rani area near Guwahati after a few class 8 Christian students offered beef to Hindu students alleging it to be mutton. During the tiffin hour on September 19, many Hindu pupils were offered meat by Kuki students living in the missionary school hostel under the Rani Police Station in the Kamrup district of Lower Assam. A parent of a student in class seven, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed that Hindu students are frequently offered meat by Christian pupils, who then pose as mutton. But the truth came to light on September 19.
When their parents learned the truth, many students sobbed at home and told them about the frightening situation. Another parent reported that they notified a Hindu teacher about the incident in writing. However, the school administration suspended the teacher after she brought up the matter. In addition, he said that the principal attempted to hide the issue. Hundreds of parents showed up at the school on September 25 to voice their disapproval of the terrible events taking place there. They demanded an explanation from the authorities and the deportation of the Christian students who were being charged. However, the management of the school declined to intervene and made an effort to persuade the parents that no such incidents had occurred.
Following the administration of the missionary school’s rejection, protests break out outside the school building. To calm things down, a magistrate and local police team showed up at the school. Seventy-five parents signed a formal complaint that was filed with the district administration, requesting an appropriate and open investigation into the accusation. The parents, who were furious, requested that the school be closed or that the Christian Kuki pupils be removed. Another parent claimed that the Kuki students from Manipur began to dominate the local students as soon as they were admitted to the school.Many incidents of biting local students by the dormitory inmates have happened in the past but the school management always took sides of the accused Kuki students.
The district administration promised to carry out a thorough investigation after the reported beef incident. However, irate parents want prompt attention to this matter. They call for the government to step in and provide the victims’ students with justice. Sources said that many Christian Kuki students were brought to the hostels of the school after the outbreak of violence in Manipur last year. Parents of local students alleged that these Christian students are now creating an unpleasant environment in the school campus and even dared to make Hindu students eat beef with treachery.
