Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Manipur activist alleges threat by police for helping victims of abuse

- Utpal Parashar utpal.parashar@hindustant­imes.com

government official requesting anonymity.

A senior department officer, who has been part of many inspection­s to schools said he has seen many teachers wearing fashionabl­e clothing.

Vinta said, “We have not told them what to wear and what not but there is a decorum.We will discuss about dress code for teachers. Feedback would be gathered from the all stakeholde­rs in days to come,” he said.

A 10th class student in government boys senior secondary school, Lalpani Mahesh Sharma, said there are many teachers including new recruits who wear fashionabl­e clothes.

“It is good to see teachers wear said, fashionabl­e clothes,” Said Sharma, who himself was wearing the Gray but sagging uniform trousers.

Lecturers associatio­n president Ashwani Kumar however, disagreed with the idea of a dress code. “Dress code is not necessary and department should not force it. I agree, teacher should wear decent clothes so that children follow them and remain discipline­d, but there is no need to develop a dress code.”

Earlier this month, department had banned the use of mobile phones by school staff including teachers inside the class room or at any place in schools where classes could potentiall­y be disturbed.

A prominent human rights activist from Manipur has alleged that the state police threatened her and her family for helping victims of rights abuse.

Binalakshm­i Nepram, is the founder of Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, a prominent NGO working with women survivors of violence. She is also the convenor of Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace.

“At 1:30 pm on Friday, a heavily armed group of Manipur police landed at my parental house in Imphal looking for me. I was away, but my 87-year-old father and 84-year-old mother are shaken,” she told HT.

Nepram believes the police are trying to intimidate her and her family members for providing relief and legal assistance to victims of violence.

“This is a clear case of threat and intimidati­on of a rights worker. We have been working with survivors for so many years, but this is the first time state police force has harassed us,” she said. Senior police officers didn’t respond to calls.

 ?? REPRESENTA­TIONAL PHOTO ?? The education department believes that teachers must be decently dressed to ensure that students are.
REPRESENTA­TIONAL PHOTO The education department believes that teachers must be decently dressed to ensure that students are.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India