Two teachers booked for punishing student who raised 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan

Bhopal, Nov 3 (IANS) The police in Madhya Pradesh have booked two teachers of a private school for allegedly punishing a student for raising 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan during the school assembly.

The incident happened at Christ Senior Secondary School in Guna on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the family members and a few social organisations staged a protest in front of the school campus.

A group of right wing members also joined the protest and organised 'Hanuman Chalisa Path' at the school premises.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday intervened in the matter and directed Guna district police to lodge an FIR against teachers who punished the student for raising slogans.

Mishra said that as soon as the matter came to his notice, he immediately spoke to the officials.

Teachers -- Justin and Jasmeena Khatun, have been booked under sections 323, 506 and 34 of the IPC, and Section 75 in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, according to the police.

In his complaint, the student -- Shivansh Jain, told the police that after the national anthem, he raised the slogan of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

"In the meantime, Justin sir came and he took me out of the line and said, 'what are you saying, go to the Father'. After that, my Hindi teacher came and said to go to your class teacher. When I met the class teacher, she said that I should raise it at home.

"After that, I reached the classroom. One of my classmates has been chosen as vice-captain of the Red House on which my class teacher Jasmeena Khatun said that 'one boy is making the class proud and I am tarnishing the class's name'. After that Madam made me sit on the ground for the next four periods," the student wrote in his complaint.

Reacting on the issue, Congress spokesperson Abbas Hafeez said a school should not be a "den of politics".

"I think it is not right to lodge an FIR. Slogans are being raised for the support of the country, it should not be stopped. Every school has its own rules, it is right to raise slogans somewhere and it is wrong somewhere, but one should not stop slogans in support of the country.

"I don't think it is right to file an FIR against the teacher. They could have been advised properly," he added.