Bareilly: Members of the Sikh community on Thursday here protested a school management’s alleged order asking students not to wear a turban or carry a dagger. They alleged that children were told to quit the school on failing to follow the order.
The protesters reached St Francis School on Thursday morning and sought the removal of its principal. City Magistrate Rajiv Kumar Pandey rushed to the protest spot and pacified the protesters. He summoned Principal Anne Rose to his office.
District Magistrate Shivakant Dwivedi said both parties were called and heard. The school management said there has been some misunderstanding and apologized for it, he said, adding the issue has been resolved.
Earlier, people from Sikh Community registered their anger after allegedly the school principal of St. Francis School, Bareilly asked the Sikh student not to wear their symbols of religious identity.
Former president of Model Town Gurdwara Committee Malik Singh Kalra said a schoolteacher on Wednesday told students during a prayer meeting that all children should be seen in the same uniform and those who come wearing a turban, carry “kirpan” (dagger) or “Kada” (steel bracelet) should stop doing so from Thursday.
No student could protest in front of the teacher but in the evening informed their parents, Kalra said, adding that resentment started growing and gurdwara committees in the area announced to hold a protest on Thursday morning.
Fearing that children could be harassed in school due to the protest, their parents did not come out openly against the order but those protesting condemned it, terming it a restriction on their religious freedom. St Francis School is located near Delapeer in the city and provides education up to Class 12. (With agency inputs)
