Even as the Oxford Indian School in Nandini Layout, continued to profess its innocence, denying that it had cut the hair of five children admitted under the RTE quota, protesting organisations on Thursday blackened its hoarding and came down hard on the school management for allegedly humiliating the children. Activists of the Kasturi Kannada Janapara Vedike and Kannada Sene, supported by MLAs Dinesh Gundurao and N L Narendra Babu, also staged a dharna before the school.
While KUSMA called off its strike against RTE, the Oxford Indian School did not open on Thursday fearing a backlash from the locals over its alleged treatment of the children. School chairman, Mr Ajith Prabhu , however, continued to insist that it did not discriminate against the RTE students and the hair cutting incident took place in the crafts class. “One student cut the hair of four students, including two non-RTE students, but the issue has been blown out of proportion,” he asserted. Meanwhile the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked for an explanation on the issue from the state education department and also directed it to investigate the matter and take necessary action.
The commission also demanded an Action Taken Report in the matter. The Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, on its part, announced that it would hold a protest march on July 23 in the city against the disparities in the implementation of the RTE. Speaking to reporters, Samiti president, Mavalli Shankar, said a dharna would also be held in front of the CM’s house as part of the protest.