An order was issued for the closure of St. Paul’s Higher Primary School at Ilkal near Hungund in Bagalkot district.
Officials of the Education Department shut down St Paul’s Higher Primary School at Ilkal near Hungund in Bagalkot district on charges of “trying to convert students and their parents”.
The block education officer issued the order on December 30 after visiting the school and complaining of some right-wing organisations.
He said the school was being closed indefinitely for “celebrating Christmas in violation of rules”. However, he did not cite the rules in the order. “You have served meat in classes during the Christmas celebrations on December 25. This has brought embarrassment to the public and the department. You have to keep the school closed till further orders. Legal action will be taken if the school reopens without permission.
Earlier, Pradeep Amarnavar, the convener of ‘pro-Hindu organisations’, had complained to Tehsildar K Ratna that the school was trying to convert students and parents. “The management invited the students and parents to the school on Christmas Day and offered lunch with meat, wine and ‘Satya Veda’, a Kannada translation of the Bible. This was nothing but an attempt to Christianize Hindus by temptation and force. Effort.”
Principal Sylvia D Mark, members of the school management committee Jackson D Mark and Umesh Nayak Harapanahalli have been named in the complaint.
“Since the establishment of the schools, these individuals are converting members of poor and backward communities like Banjara, Ambigar and other groups. They are insulting Hindu gods and converting vulnerable groups. Once they are converted, they force the converted persons to take out the idols and images of Hindu deities from their homes. It is against the law. Not only this, the license of the school is being renewed every year, as the school management bribes some officials of the education department. According to the complaint, the authorities should shut down the school and cancel its license.
After the complaint, IM Angadi, the Block Resource Coordinator of the Education Department, inspected the school and submitted the report. Acting on the report, the BEO issued a closure order.
Jackson de Mark told reporters in Ilkal that the allegations were baseless.
“We are not converting anyone. Firstly, the school is not run by Christian missionaries. It is run by some residents of Ilkal. The school is running in a rented house. The school committee consists of members from all religions. The school has students of all religions. Lunch was not organized in the school,” he said.
,