Kolkata school suspends teacher over ‘tilak removal’ row

Kolkata: Prodded by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, a private missionary school in Kolkata suspended a teacher following an allegation that she repeatedly removed a sandalwood mark (tilak) from the forehead of a young student, an official said on Friday, September 4.

A First Information Report (FIR) was also registered against the teacher.

জন্মাষ্টমী তে বড় পদক্ষেপ!পশ্চিমবঙ্গের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী শুভেন্দু অধিকারী কলকাতার এক স্কুল শিক্ষককে সাময়িকভাবে বরখাস্ত করেছেন , যিনি এক হিন্দু ছাত্রকে চন্দন তিলক মুছতে বাধ্য করেছিলেন!পশ্চিমবঙ্গ গৌড়ীয় বৈষ্ণব ধর্মের জন্মভূমি।আর এই সব বরদাস্ত করব না সরকার…হরে কৃষ্ণ। pic.twitter.com/qQF9lkpA3I

The incident came to light after a video surfaced on social media in which the student alleged that a teacher at the school would wipe off the tilak applied to his forehead before entering the institution.

The video subsequently went viral, triggering a controversy over religious freedom in educational institutions.

The allegation came to the chief minister’s notice, following which the administration looked into the matter and initiated action against the teacher, an education department official said.

The chief minister also announced the suspension of an employee of the education department following allegations that the official had posted objectionable remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media.

Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Adhikari said “derogatory remarks” from government employees against the Prime Minister or any person holding a constitutional position would not be tolerated.

He stressed that government employees were required to adhere to the prescribed code of conduct.

Stay updated with our WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. For all the latest India updates, download our app Android and iOS.