TURA: In the face of frequent utilization of school students by various organizations to hold public and political demonstrations, the West Garo Hills administration has barred such moves citing the Supreme Court directive and the Right to Education guidelines warning that it would lead to contempt of court.
The moves comes after the administration was alerted about a possible move by organizations, notably student groups, planning to mobilise school children in uniforms to be taken out of schools for a protest rally.
The involvement of children, especially by taking them away forcefully from school without the knowledge and authority of the parents or the teacher is grossly illegal. It is in total contravention to the Supreme Court directive and Right to Education guidelines that school children cannot be used either forcefully or with their consent for any political rally, meeting, demonstration or agitation which will be contempt of court and violation of RTE guidelines, stated the West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh in an official communiqué.
“It is amply clear that there is no bar on wilful participation of adults in peaceful demonstration,” added the deputy commissioner.
The administration pointed out that in some cases students are being taken out of institutions even with the knowledge of the school authorities and teachers who are openly cooperating with the NGOs despite knowing that parents had sent their children solely for education purposes and in the care of the school authorities.
“The charges for such violation can be illegal confinement of minor children in which even the consent of the minor is inconsequential as parents are unaware about the whereabouts of their children. If anything happens to the children, criminal sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) will become applicable for all concerned,” warned the government as it pointed out that the issue had attained seriousness in view of the fact that several parents and school authorities had come forward and complained to the government demanding measures be taken up to stop the practice.
The district school education officer has, in the meantime, been directed to disseminate information regarding the Supreme Court directive and RTE guidelines to all the heads of institutions for the safety and security of the school children.
Section 144 imposed in Garo Hills: West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh has on Monday afternoon imposed Section 144 Cr.P.C across the district prohibiting anyone from causing obstruction to movement of vehicles and carrying or concealing any kind of lethal weapon. The order will not apply to armed force personnel and other law enforcing agencies on duty and deployment.
The deputy commissioner, in his order, stated that Section 144 Cr.PC was being promulgated in the light of certain organizations calling for a night road blockade which could resort to obstruction or intimidation of movement of vehicles during the night and lead to breach of peace.