B’luru school in a row for asking parents to allow kids to bring Bible to school

A Karnataka Education Department official visited a school in Bengaluru on Monday, April 25, after Hindu groups accused the school of imposing Bible on its students. The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti accused the Clarence High School in Bengaluru of issuing a directive to its parents and students to allow the Bible to be brought to school every day.
The Hindu group alleged that the school violated and misused Article 25 of the Constitution, which deals with freedom of religion. The move amounts to violation of the guidelines of the Supreme Court and the Karnataka Education Act and Child Protection Laws, the group added. The samithi plans to approach Education Minister BC Nagesh on this matter and demand cancellation of the licence of the school for allegedly forcefully imposing Christian religion on non-Christian students.
The school is located in Richards Town in central Bengaluru and the Block Education Officer visited the school on Monday to gather information and file a report. The Hindu group pointed to the application form for Class 11 at the school which reportedly read, “You affirm that your child will attend all classes including Morning Assembly Scripture Class and Clubs for his/her own moral and spiritual welfare and will not object to carry the Bible and Hymn Book during his/her stay at Clarence High School (sic).”
Hindutva leader and Sri Rama Sene founder Pramod Muthalik on Monday asked the school management to keep the Bible at their homes and churches. “Why is the Bible being preached to Hindu students who comprise 90% of the total student population in the school?” he questioned. The school must be seized and students transferred to other schools, he demanded.
School alumni told that the practice has been there for decades, since the school was founded. “Every student has to have a Bible. In the morning assembly, a small passage is read and analyzed. Whole school sits through it every day,” the former student said.
Reacting to the development, the Education Minister clarified that there is no provision for making the Bible reading compulsory in schools, if it is found to be true, action will be initiated against the school, he said. George Mathew, the school principal, has stated to the media that he is sad over the development. He maintained that advocates will answer all questions raised against the institution and that they will not break the law of the land.