Parents warned of action against ‘obscene’ content

NEW DELHI: After receiving complaints from several schools about obscene messages being posted and inappropriate videos and pictures being circulated on Whatsapp groups created to share online study material with students, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation warned parents of legal action if found responsible for any such activity.

The warning was issued after the north MCD education department got a complaint from a school in the Narela zone.

In an order issued on January 5 and addressed to all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, principals, and zonal education officers, the department said, “A complaint has been received from Narela Zone about posting of pornographic content by a parent in a class’s Whatsapp groups. It is a serious matter, and all parents and guardians must be warned to not use any irrelevant content in the Whatsapp

groups of classes created for the purpose of online classes and must be directed to take more precautions to avoid any legal action... In case of any repetition, FIR must be lodged against the erring person without any delay.”

An official at the north civic body said, “The order was issued after receiving similar complaints from several schools... No one can harass teachers in this manner. The young students in the group will also read the messages, which can possibly create an unfavourable impact.”

To be sure, officials said it was not immediately clear whether these messages were sent by parents, students, or a third party. However, these messages were received from the official registered mobile number, which is why parents were warned, officials of the civic body said.

The principal of a civic bodyrun school in Jahangirpuri, requesting anonymity, said, “We had received an objectionable video clip in a class 5 Whatsapp group last month. The clip was sent from a student’s registered number. We summoned the students’ parents, but they denied sending the message. Our teachers regularly send messages on the groups requesting parents not to share anything other than any queries related to classes.”

North Delhi mayor Jai Prakash said, “The corporation will take serious action against those found responsible for sending such obscene messages on Whatsapp groups.”