108-year-old Bengaluru school faces right-wing threat

By Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru: Even as the Karnataka government is mulling the introduction of Bhagavad Gita in the curriculum, a right-wing Hindutva organisation has targeted 108-year-old Clarence High School in Bengaluru for making Bible mandatory for all students.

Security was beefed up around the school near Richmond Town on Monday after Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi alleged that the school forced parents to sign a declaration, stating that they would not object to carrying the Bible and Hymn book by their wards.

“The school is snatching students’ religious rights,” alleged the outfit’s spokesperson Mohan Gowda. “We have approached the Education Minister BC Nagesh. If the government fails to take action, we will approach the High Court with a public interest litigation,” he said.

Reacting to the controversy, Clarence High School Principal Jerry George Matthew told News Trail that his institution will not break the law of the land. “We are aware that some people are upset about one of the policies of our school. We are a peace-loving and law-abiding school. We have consulted our advocates and we will follow their advice. We won’t break the law of the land,” he said.

The controversy found its resonance on the social media too with right-wing handles calling the incident a ‘Christian evangelist terrorism’.

Clarence High School was founded by British Missionaries, Alfred and Walter Redwood, in 1914.