Protest in Rosa Mystica After Principal Admonishes Students on Ayyappa Vratha

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)

Mangalore, Dec 15: Chaos prevailed at Rosa Mystica School in Gurpur near here on Wednesday December 12 after students protested against the school principal for reportedly ordering students observing 'Ayyappa vratha' out of the class.

The students protested against the principal Sr Jessy Crasta and gave her one week's time to resolve the matter.

Sr Jessy Crasta allegedly put four PU students out of the class for being on Ayyappa vratha and wearing the traditional black attire. She reportedly told them to remove the black shawl which they had worn if they wanted to enter the class.

The students alleged that she had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindu students and hence they boycotted the class.

Around 300 students gathered in front of the campus and protested, shouting slogans against the principal.

Bajpe inspector soon arrived and tried to stop the agitating students. Later, Consetta C, convener of the College management called the students for a discussion, but it went in vain as the students refused to be pacified.

Finally, Vinod Mada, former zilla panchayat member, Chaitanyanda Swamiji of Polali, ACP Ravikumar S, taluk panchayat members along with locals visited the College and had a discussion with the college management in the presence of the students.

The students gave the management a week's time to resolve the matter, after which they withdrew the protest.

Sources said that a few years ago, principal Sr Jessy Crasta had pulled off flowers worn by students in the class. A few students also alleged that she had even removed rakhi of a few students during Raksha Bandhan. Even for this the students had staged a protest.

Even after bringing these incidents to the notice of the officials concerned, no action has been taken so far, claimed a student, urging authorities to take stringent steps in the matter.

Speaking to Daijiworld, Provincial Superior Sr Marriette who is also the corporate manager of institutions, Mangalore Bethany said on behalf of the management that it was an 'unfortunate' incident.

"We will assess the situation and take appropriate action in a week's team. A meeting will be held on Saturday December 15 and within a week's time we will come to a decision," she said.

She also said that five of the students were asked to speak and express their concerns during the meeting. One of them said that the principal uses unpleasant words and that some students were beaten, and sometimes takes classes up till 7.30 pm. "The students were angry. They staged the protest because they do not want Sr Jessy as she is strict," Sr Mariette said.

There was also a complaint that Sr Jessy had taken a few Muslim students to task when they came to class after Namaz (prayers), for which Sr Mariette clarified, "The principal did not stop students from offering Namaz. She only questioned them for being late to class."

"This is for the first time in the history of the school that such an incident has taken place," she said.

Inspector Dinakar Shetty of Bajpe police said that people should not use students for their political and religious gains. He advised the students not to indulge in such protests and said, "You should have first spoken to the management, and if that failed only then staged the protest."

On the complaint by a student that the principal metes out corporal punishment, he said, "We were beaten during our school days. There were no such rules then. However, without corporal punishment also discipline is possible."

The protest lasted from 8.30 am to around 11.30 am. Parents, locals and representatives from local bodies were present.