Nine Christian institutions to remain closed today

PROTEST The centres run by Methodist Church of India protest against alleged interference of education dept officials

LUCKNOW: Educational institutions run by the Methodist Church of India will remain closed on Monday, in protest against alleged interference of education department officials in the controversy related with Lal Bagh Girls’ Inter College. Two groups are trying to take control of the educational institute established by the Methodist Church in 1870. The teachers are in a fix as they do not know which group to support.

We strongly protest that despite court order, the education department is forcing us to accept its appointees. We request the govt to take immediate action against the decisions being forced on us

JJ ABLE, manager, Lal Bagh Girls’ college

LUCKNOW : Educational institutions run by the Methodist Church of India will remain closed on Monday, in protest against interference of education department officials in minority affairs.

Lucknow Christian Degree College, Lucknow Christian Inter College, Christian Training College, Centennial High School, Physical Training College, IT Degree College, IT Inter College, Lal Bagh Girls’ Inter College and Emma Thompson School will be closed to protest the alleged effort of a group enjoying backing of District Inspector of Schools and joint director of education department, to wrest control of Lal Bagh Girls’ Inter College.

Ironically, it is the students of Lal Bagh Girls’ Inter College who are suffering on account of the internal feud of two groups trying to control the educational institute established by the Methodist Church in 1870.

The teachers are in a fix as they do not know which group to support.

However, JJ Able, who claims to be the present manager of the institution, alleged that in the past few days, the education department had tried to back a group which was not legally entitled to run the school.

In a press conference in the school on Sunday, Able alleged she and Sapna Lal Varne had obtained a stay from court to continue as manager and principal of the school but the DIOS and joint director, education were forcing them to accept their appointees MS Prasad as manager and AR Singh as principal. Singh was suspended by the college management, she alleged.

The reason for the DIOS conspiring with the other faction was that there were vacancies of teachers and other staff in the school and the officials were trying to ‘sell’ these vacancies by taking money, she alleged.

Able stressed that such a thing could not be allowed in a Christian minority institution.

She said, “We strongly protest that in spite of the court order, the education department is forcing us to accept its appointees. They are violating the Minority Institution Rights of 16FF of Intermediate Education Act 1921. We request the government to take immediate action against the decisions being forced on us, so that the sanctity of one of the oldest educational institutes in the city is maintained.”

Able demanded a high level inquiry into the forged documents on the basis of which the DIOS and joint director of education department had appointed the manager and principal of the school despite the court order.

She said that the government must probe why the education department officials refused to recognise Lal Bagh Girls’ Inter College as a minority institution.

DIOS Umesh Tripathi said he had nothing to say as this matter pertained to a girls’ school and DIOS II was looking after it. DIOS II DN Singh said the allegations were false and baseless.