Ban on Hindu Symbols: Talibanic diktat of Ramnad Collector

Students sporting tilak on their foreheads and amulets on their bodies were stopped by the Physical Instruction teacher of a Government-aided minority institution before they entered the school premises. The sacred threads and rakshas (amulets) worn for protection round the necks or arms were cut off, and the sindoor, tilak on the foreheads erased.

When agitated parents rushed to complain to Ms. Zarina Lotus, headmistress of the Muhammadiya Higher Secondary School, Sitharkottai, Ramanathapuram district, she reportedly claimed to be implementing the diktat of the District Collector, as per the version of Shri Ramesh (name changed), father of one of the affected children. The agitated parents accompanied by Shri Prabhakaran, district head of Hindu Makkal Katchi, met District Collector K Nandakumar and complained about the incident. But the District Collector not only justified his order, but challenged them to take the matter to the courts, as per the version reported by the Hindu Makkal Katchi leader.

Intrigued, the writer and some public minded citizens contacted headmistress Zarina Lotus over the telephone on January 21, 2014, and she again claimed that she was only obeying the orders of the District Collector. Ms. Lotus claimed that during a meeting of headmasters of high schools and higher secondary schools, the Collector had stated that the teachers should advise the students not to sport sacred threads or apply tilak or sport any object that would represent their religion. We sought to know the reason why the Collector would issue such an order.

The headmistress replied that since students come to school sporting religious symbols, at times quarrels ensue, and hence some students have been sent to Reformation Schools. Policemen in mufti who have been keeping watch on the trouble had reported that the raison d’etre behind these quarrels were the religious symbols; they listed the schools where such incidents had occurred.

Accordingly, we sent an e-mail to Shri K Nandakumar on January 22, but have received no reply till the time of writing. His personal assistant, Shri Dharman, said the District Collector was busy and could be contacted later, and disconnected the telephone. Subsequent attempts to contact him failed.

The actions of the District Collector raise certain pertinent questions.

• If there is no protection for the students sporting religious symbols, then, has Ramanathapuram become Afghanistan?
• Speaking about religious symbols, even skull caps and purdah would come under the ambit. On the contrary, why did the District Collector not advise against the removal of them?
• Sporting of religious symbols is a fundamental right. Who gave the District Collector the license to snatch this right?
• Which are the schools where clashes occurred on the basis of sporting of religious symbols?
• Who instigated these? And who were the students sent to the Reformation Schools?
• What was the action taken to prevent their occurrence in the schools where such a situation is prevailing? And are there any teachers who are associated with these occurrences?
•  If we construe the action of the District Collector to be an admittance of the worst and precarious nature of situation prevalent in Ramanathapuram, then what action Shri. K. Nanda Kumar has taken against those indulging in religious extremism and those who instigate such acts? 
• Is he admitting to the fact that he would not be able to give protection to Hindus of Ramanathapuram District?
• To stop clashes will Shri. K. Nanda Kumar order the snapping of mangal sutra of the Hindu women?

Read Full report by B R Gauthaman @
http://www.vijayvaani.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?aid=3089

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