Christians protest against issue of notices to schools

The Karnataka Christian Welfare Association held a demonstration in Bangalore yesterday demanding the withdrawal of notices issued by the BJP Government to educational institutions run by Christian organizations.

The protest comes after the State Government issued notices to an estimated 2,000 schools and colleges in Karnataka that had remained closed on August 29 to protest against the attacks on Christians in Karnataka.

Incidentally, BJP’s Lok Sabha MP H T Sangliana, who belongs to the Christian community, spearheaded the protest. Arguing that the educational institutions had a right to show their displeasure over the inhuman treatment of people in Orissa by remaining closed, Sangliana urged the State Government, led by his own party, to withdraw the notices.

Congress MLA K J George said everyone enjoyed a constitutional right to protest and criticized the Government’s decision to slap notices on the educational institutions for remaining closed on August 29.

President of Indian Catholic Press Association Sister Genevieve said the Christian schools across Karnataka have decided not to apologize for remaining closed on August 29.

“We are well within our rights. The principals of educational institutions have four discretionary holidays at their disposal, which they can call on days of local importance”, she said.
Meanwhile, the notices issued by the Education Department authorities had reprimanded the managements for closing the down the schools and colleges without obtaining prior permission from the Government. The notices claimed that the Department had learnt about the closure only through the media. The managements have been asked to show cause within a week of receiving the notices.