In Bhopal, School Girls Destroy Fans, Windows To Protest Harsh Punishments

Students at a government school for girls in Bhopal rose up in protest Wednesday claiming they are forced to clean the premises and classrooms and mow the lawn, and face harsh punishments for minor infractions, including standing in the baking sun if they are even five minutes late to class.

Hundreds of girls from the Sarojini Naidu Girls Higher Secondary School took out a sit-in protest today against the management and an employee Varsha Jha, whom they have accused of mistreating them. Ms Jha, appointed only a month ago, has reportedly apologised.

The school administration has refuted the students’ claim, insisting teachers do not punish the students as alleged. The principal, Malini Verma, told NDTV an ex-soldier had been hired to enforce discipline. She also said senior Education Department officials would decide the next step.

Visuals from the school showed a horde of angry young girls in uniform gathered outside the school building; some are seen stomping furiously on a nameplate and others breaking windows.

In another video, at the centre of a small crowd a handful of students are sitting on the ground – the sit-in protest team – using their hands to shield their faces, unsuccessfully, from the scorching sun.

A third video shows the students sitting on the ground, sweating profusely under the midday sun, and shouting slogans against the school management and the teacher, Ms Jha.

A fourth even showed some girls standing on classroom benches to pull down ceiling fans.

Some students were quoted by local media as also complaining about timings; school finishes at 6 pm, they said, which makes it difficult for some girls who live far away. Another spoke of punishments that affected students’ health and criticised teachers’ for dismissing such concerns.

“If we are late to school, even by a minute, we are sometimes not allowed inside… the gates are locked and we are punished by being made to stand in the heat for two hours. Many of us come from far away… it isn’t our fault if we are late sometimes,” one student told NDTV.

Another flagged “a new teacher who came to discipline students”.

“She scolds and punishes students who make mistakes… she doesn’t even talk with respect. Many students complained but the principal did not listen” she told NDTV.

The intensity of the protests prompted a visit from the Director of the Madhya Pradesh government’s Education Department, who sent Varsha Jha on indefinite leave.

The police were also summoned. Mayur Khandelwal, the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Habibganj, told NDTV, “We were informed of protests by girl students that could lead to a law-and-order situation. A team was sent to calm things down and persuade the girls to end the protest.”

Meanwhile, this has kicked up a predictable political row, with the opposition Congress’ youth wing chief Mitendra Singh, hitting out at the ruling BJP and its ‘beti bachao, beti padhao‘ campaign.

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