A group of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party workers thrashed the father of a north Indian student in Satara on Monday afternoon, alleging that he had forged the age certificate which would get his son admission into the 5th standard of the Sainik School in Satara.
“The outsiders (north Indians) come here with 15-year-old boys and take admission into this prestigious school in 5th standard which is meant for 10-11 year olds. Can we not make out the difference between a 10-year-old and a 15-year-old boy? Some parents complained to us and decided to take appropriate action against them,” Satara MNS chief Ranjit Bhosale told The Hindu .
According to eye witnesses, the victim Mukesh Kumar who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, was accompanying his son for the mandatory medical check up before the admission at the government hospital in Satara, when MNS workers came and conducted an identification parade.
“He (Mr. Kumar) spoke rudely with us, hence we had to tackle him physically,” Mr. Bhosale said.
“Those people pay doctors to give them fake certificates, and then top in sports, academics and our boys are left behind. We do not oppose the 30 per cent reservation for students from other States, but cheating the school has to stop,” he stated.
Asked whether he had complained against the hospital and the school for issuing and accepting fake age certificates, Mr. Bhosale said, “The ones who issue the certificates accept bribe, and some of the school authorities, too, are outsiders.”
However, no police complaint was registered against the MNS workers. There was a police bandobast at the school after the incident.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray said in Mumbai that he was not aware of the incident, adding, “wherever outsiders get opportunities meant for Maharashtrians, we will oppose.”
