Students, parents lock school against transfer of staff

NABHA: The students and parents on Monday staged a dharna outside Tohra government senior secondary school after locking its main gate to protest against the transfer of school staff.

Amidst row over alleged casteist remarks and harassment of a Dalit girl at Tohra school, the education department had on Saturday transferred 16 staff members, including the principal, on recommendations of Patiala deputy commissioner.

The DC had earlier submitted an interim report stating “improper” environment for studies at the school and recommended transfer of staff to improve the situation. The protesters locked the school after it opened on Monday and said the guilty should have been transferred and not the entire staff. “The decision is affecting studies of our children,” said a protester Gurdeep Singh.police was deployed to maintain peace in the village. The dharna was, however, lifted on Monday afternoon after Nabha sub-divisional magistrate Amit Kumar met protesters. The transferred staff was then relieved after which new teachers joined the school.

AKAL TAKHT PANEL STARTS INQUIRY

The four-member Akhal Takht committee formed to inquire into the matter reached the village on Monday. The committee video recorded the meeting with the complainant and her family and got a written statement from them. “There is no place for casteism in Sikh religion. As per the directions of Shri Akal Takht, we came to investigate the matter. The accused will be approached to give their statement,” said Balwinder Singh, a committee member said.

‘WON’T GO TO SCHOOL TILL MATTER RESOLVED’ Veerpal Kaur, meanwhile, has said she will not go to the school until the matter is resolved. “Villagers are pressurising us to suppress the issue. They have even turned students against me and blame me for defaming the village. I don’t feel safe to leave home in this environment,” Kaur said.