After the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu assumed power on May 2, several of incidents of sexual harassment on school children were reported. The action of Stalin – led govt was typically “secular”. Read on:
1 One of the old students, who had left school (Padma Seshadhri Bala Bhawan School, K K Nagar branch) five years back, posted in social media sexual harassment by the Commerce Teacher Rajagopalan. Few more students followed her in the social media. No written or oral complaints were lodged with the school management by either by the students or parents. The school management has suspended the teacher. The police took suo moto cognizance and arrested the concerned teacher; It grilled without summon the Correspondent and Principal of the school for days. Entire political class, ruling party MPs/MLAs, ministers were quick to condemn and demanded take over of the well-managed popular school. Print media was agog with news, the electronic media on its part arranged debates during prime time.
2 Taking suo moto cognizance of sexual harassment complaint by the former commerce students of another CBSC school (Maharishi Vidyamandir) teacher Anand was taken into custody and interrogated. School management has suspended the teacher and appointed a group of teachers to probe the matter. This incident also has received undue coverage in the secular-liberal media with ‘secular’ political parties baying for the blood of the institution.
3. Again, the founder of Sushil Hari Higher Secondary School, Siva Sankar Baba was arrested on similar charges. The reaction of media, govt and political parties was as usual sheer rhetoric.
4. About ten students of first year PG course, presently studying in Bishop Heber College, in Tiruchirappalli have given written complaint against their Head Of Dept Paul Chandra Mohan, a habitual sexual offender. The news was reported by dailies without mentioning the name of the institution. The police and the education officer wait for the departmental enquiry to take action against the accused who was suspended by the management.
5. Few former trainees of St.Joseph Sports Academy, managed by St.Joseph Engineering college, complained in social media about sexual harassment by the trainer Nagarajan. He was arrested by police and detained. Media were agog with news mentioning the name of the teacher, avoiding any reference to the academy.
6. “ School teacher arrested for sexual harassment of class 9 student in Ramanathapurm in Tamil Nadu”– This was the news in TN dailies on June 22. This one is a Govt aided Muslim run minority school. The arrested science teacher’s name is Habib Mohamend. His video message to a student went viral and the police was forced to act. But the space the print and electronic media gave to this news was insignificant.
While the media was biased against majority run schools, the police action was severe or light depending on the management and the individual concerned. Are we in a secular state?
