State Minister Firm on Action Against Catholic schools
DHNS Bangalore
Bangalore, Aug 31: Vishveshwara Kageri Hegde, Minister for primary and secondary education, on Saturday said that the Deputy Directors Public Instruction (DDPI) have been directed to issue notices to all the catholic institution which were shut down in the State on Friday as a mark of silent protest against Orissa violence.
“The DDPIs and the Commissioner of Public Instruction will issue notices to the catholic schools for having disrupted the academic schedule. These schools had not taken prior permission to shut down and have violated the norms,” said Kageri.
But Sr Genevieve, Secretary, Regional Commission for Education justified the closure. “Every school principal is entitled to declare five discretionary holidays and hence the institutions have utilised this condition for a cause. The silent protest by the Catholic institution was across the nation and not just in the State. We declared a holiday for the cause and conducted prayers. We did not take to the streets or conduct a protest rally with students.”
“The schools will make up for the holiday by conducting classes on Saturdays. Some city schools have already conducted classes to compensate for Friday,” added Sr Genevieve.
Meanwhile, the State BJP president D V Sadananda Gowda has come in support of Education minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, who had taken serious exception to Christian education institutions declaring holiday on Friday as a mark of protest against violence in Orissa.
Gowda, in a release issued on Saturday, has said that Christian education institutions have committed a crime by declaring holiday without obtaining the state government’s permission. Every individual has right to protest. But education institutions, which enjoy government’s aid cannot declare holiday with the governments’ approval. The minister’s stand on the issue is valid.
He said, a gang belonging to Christian Missionaries had killed Swamy Lakshmananda Saraswathi and his four assistants. Christian institutions of the state have staged protest in support of killer - Missionaries in Orissa. The move to protest over such event will have adverse impact on student community.
Sadanand Gowda also criticised Congress leader D K Shivakumar for his statement asking the Education Minister to seek apology of Christian institutes for his remarks on the protest.
Condemned
The Congress on Saturday condemned Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri for his statement to take action against Christian education institutions for closing down their schools on Friday protesting violence in Orissa.
“The minister’s statement is not proper. It may lead to law and order problem in the State,” leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters.