GUWAHATI
The police in eastern Assam’s Jorhat have begun probing a threat to a missionary school by unknown miscreants.
An anonymous poster was pasted on the wall of the town’s Carmel School a few days ago, warning the school authorities not to turn education into a religious affair.
“This is the final warning to stop using the school as a religious institution. Remove Jesus Christ, Mary, cross, church, etc., from the school premises and stop such unconstitutional activities, or else...” the poster in Assamese read.
The school authorities lodged a complaint at the local Chinamara police outpost, attaching a photo of the threatening poster.
“Our institution has always respected and accommodated individuals of all religions and cultures, maintaining a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere,” the complaint by Sister Rose Fatima, the school’s principal, said, adding that the development has been a cause of concern for all associated with the institution.
“We are investigating the case and trying to question some suspects,” a local police officer said.
The threat to the school via the poster came a week after a fringe hardline Hindu organisation named Kutumba Surakshya Parishad issued a similar warning to missionary schools after a teacher and the principal of one of them allegedly abused a 10-year-old student for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in the classroom. The incident reportedly took place at Calvary English School at Khelmati near Balipara in north-central Assam’s Sonitpur district on February 5. A team from the Chariduar police station and the district elementary education officer intervened to bring the situation under control after the minor’s parents sought an explanation from the school authority and sounded out some local organisations.
