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‘Blinded by hatred’: BJP on MP govt suspending principal over Savarkar row
The Congress justified the action saying saffronisation of schools will not be allowed in Madhya Pradesh.
The BJP in Madhya Pradesh launched a scathing attack on Wednesday against the Congress government alleging that it is so blinded by hatred against Veer Savarkar that it suspended a decorated principal because notebooks with the Hindutva icon’s photo and brief sketch on his life were distributed among students in his school.
RN Kerawat, principal of government high school, Malwasa in Ratlam district was suspended on Tuesday by the district education officer, Ratlam KC Sharma for distribution of the notebooks without any permission from the department.
The notebooks were distributed by an NGO named Veer Savarkar Hitarth Jan Kalyan Samiti on November 4. The suspension order was issued on the instructions of Ujjain division commissioner Ajeet Kumar, education department officials said.
“Principal RN Kerawat was suspended as per instructions from the commissioner, Ujjain division as he had not sought any permission from the department to distribute the notebooks. A show-cause notice had been issued to him and he had admitted in his reply that he had distributed the notebooks,” district education officer KC Sharma said.
The NGO convener Prabhu Neka said the suspension was unfortunate and warned of an agitation if it is not revoked.
“We have been distributing notebook among students for the past six to seven years. But this year the principal was suspended by the Congress government, which is very unfortunate. It is unfortunate more because the principal is honoured with the President’s Award for his excellent record,” Neka said.
“If the government doesn’t withdraw the suspension order within 7 days an agitation will be launched by residents of Ratlam including employees’ organisations against the government’s action,” he threatened.
Kerawat said the suspension order has shocked him. “I was shocked to get the suspension order. My school has been on top in board results. This was not the first time when any NGO helped needy students of the school. What I did was in the interest of poor students. If the government thinks I was wrong in allowing the poor students to have notebooks I can’t say anything in this regard,” he said.
BJP national vice-president and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the government of being by hatred against Savarkar.
“The chief minister and his government are so blinded by the hatred against Veer Savarkar that they are insulting icons of the country. The government’s act of suspending the principal has hurt sentiments of people of the state. Congress leaders need to read the biography of Veer Savarkar to know his contribution to the freedom struggle and the country. We demand immediate revocation of the suspension.”
However, Congress justified the action saying that there was no politics in it and that saffronisation of schools will not be allowed.
“It was a question of discipline. Schools are temples of education. Its saffronisation which was witnessed during the BJP’s regime can’t be allowed,” Congress media coordinator Narendra Saluja said.
Recently, a booklet painting Veer Savarkar in poor light was distributed among Congress Seva Dal members during their national camp at the outskirts of Bhopal also drew fire from the BJP.
(With input from Sudhir Jain in Ratlam)
