Bangalore, April 26 (IANS): J. Manjunath, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Bengaluru Urban, will start an investigation into accusations of compulsory Bible study at a school in the city.
The investigation was opened on Tuesday following directives from the National Commission for the Protection of Children’s Rights (NCPCR).
Hindu organizations have filed complaints against Clarence High School for this imposition and the NCPCR has asked the deputy commissioner to submit the report within seven days.
Clarence High School (file photo)
The Commission said it was led to notice that the school had imposed Christian religious views on the children by having them study the Bible.
The school also requires them to attend daily Christian religious morning prayers, he added.
The Commission further stated that the students are involved in other Christian religious activities and this has also been mentioned on the school’s website.
According to the complaint, there is a prima facie violation of Section 25 and Section 28(3) of the Indian Constitution, provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015, according to a statement from the NCPCR.
Hindu Jana Jagruthi Samithi had earlier alleged that students were required to read the Bible every day.
All students are given a Bible which comes in the form of a booklet, they are told to carry it every day. If anyone objects, they will be threatened with cancellation of admissions, they alleged.
Pramod Muthalik, founder of Sri Ram Sena reacting to the incident, had asked the school management to keep the Bible in their homes and churches.
State Education Minister BC Nagesh has clarified that there is no provision to make Bible reading compulsory in schools, if this is found to be true, action will be taken against the ‘school.
