MNS, BJP claim students rusticated over ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan; school denies allegation

The alleged incident that occurred on Monday involved six students of Class X at St Lawrence High School, sector 16A.

The decision of a Vashi-based school to take disciplinary action against a few students for allegedly screaming in an ‘unusual manner’ has evoked a sharp rebuke from political parties and right-wing outfits who claim that the management has rusticated those students for raising the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan.

MNS party workers stage a protest outside St. Lawrence School after the school management removed four students of Class 10 for allegedly shouting "Jai Shri Ram", at Vashi, in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday. (Bachchan Kumar/ HT Photo)

Refuting the allegations, the school principal said they had only called their parents to inform them of their wards’ indiscipline, and the students were attending class.

The alleged incident that occurred on Monday involved six students of Class X at St Lawrence High School, sector 16A.

As news of the alleged rustication spread, the students’ wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged a protest outside the school on Wednesday. The agitators met the principal, Saira Kennedy, and asked her to immediately call those students to the school and tender a written apology.

Sandesh Dongre, city leader of MNS, said, “We condemn the school’s action to rusticate the students for raising the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan. The principal did give us an apology letter and agree to take back the students.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Sakal Hindu Samaj and other right-wing groups threatened an agitation if the school did not call back those students.

“Such action is unacceptable and hence, we met the school principal. There should be justice for all religious communities. The principal has agreed to rescind the decision,” former BJP corporator Vijay Walunj said.

In her defence, Kennedy said the students, during recess time, were screaming while rushing from the corridor to the washroom. “I heard it and went to the floor to check. However, I did not hear any ‘Jai Shri Ram’ cries. The students were screaming in a very unusual manner, which was not normal.”

She further clarified, “It is a matter of concern because of indiscipline. Hence, we took disciplinary action. We asked the six students to bring their parents to the school within three days. The parents of four of them came on Tuesday. We met them and asked them to find out why the children behaved in such a manner and told them that such behavior was unacceptable.”

Denying that the children had been rusticated, she said, “I never once mentioned the word rusticate or suspend. Our intention is not to create any problem for the children. They are our Lawrence children. We do not have the right to rusticate. The children are attending class.”

The principal later issued a letter expressing regret if the `misunderstanding’ had hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Parents of the children did not come forward to speak on the matter.