NDTV

Lucknow, Sep 11: All convent schools in Lucknow were to remain closed on Monday to protest the vandalizing of Loreto Convent by members of the BJP youth wing.

The school building was damaged by the BJP's Yuva Morcha following reports of a teacher claiming to be possessed by Jesus Christ.

Lucknow's Loreto Convent, one of the oldest institutes in the country, was reduced to a battleground on Sunday.

Bhartiya Jan Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers broke into the school protesting against the alleged religious education in the school.

Though they could not even spell the school's name right on their banners, they vandalised the century-old building in a matter of minutes.

Protesting schools, St Paul's College, St Dominique School, Loreto Convent, St Agnes School, St Mary's School, Stella Maris School, Nirmala School, Jeevadhara School,
 
Cathedral School, St Anns School, St Clara School, St Thomas School, St Peter's School and St Xaviers School

Shocked by the attack the institute says no non-Christians are expected to participate at religious functions.

"We have written in our prospectus that we educate our students spiritually, physically, emotionally. And we have also said, if any parents have objections, they may not bring them. This is a Christian institution," said Mother Tressia, Mother Superior.

'Spiritual act'

The BJYM attack followed an incident at the school's morning assembly. One of the teachers, Nobo Kumar Mondol claimed to have been possessed by Jesus.

He also claimed he could cure cancer and went on to demonstrate his professed powers. At this point more than a dozen students fainted.

"He started chanting something and asked the children to lift up their hands in prayer. After the experience, some of the children starting feeling pain and collapsed," said a parent.

The teacher Nobo Kumar Mondol has a website where he talks extensively of his spiritual experiences. But parents of the students are not impressed.

"Such assemblies, whether on Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, or Sikhism, should not be allowed in any school. A school is a temple of learning where children go to study," said a parent.

Father Donald D'souza, Deputy Secretary General of the Catholic Bishop Conference of India also said that Loreto Convent should not have invited Nobo Kumar Mondol as the guest for preaching.

He also added that it is important to draw a line between faith and superstition.

Probe ordered

The college authorities have ordered an investigation into the incident in the assembly.

"I have told two senior officers of the education board to investigate this incident. I have asked them to find out from the college management if this was a programme organized by the management or by an individual," said Ramendra Tripathi, DM, Lucknow.

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has also ordered a probe into what happened in the school assembly, the role of the Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha members and the reason for the attack.

A Magisterial probe has already been ordered although the purview of the probe is limited to what happened during the school assembly.

In a related development, three workers of the BJP's youth wing who were detained after the attack on Loreto Convent school have been released.