GUWAHATI: A school in Southern Assam’s Barak Valley has invited the wrath of Election Commission by sending its minor students to attend an election rally of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
The Hailakandi district administration has asked the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) to take appropriate action against Oxford High School that had sent its minor students in uniform to Gandhi’s rally held at Panchgram in Karimganj district on Tuesday.
In a letter to the secretary, SEBA, Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner (District Magistrate) and District Election Officer, Keerthi Jalli, said the school authorities had sent a large number of minor students to the Congress rally during school hours in gross violation of the model code of conduct and Representation of People’s Act, 1951.
“It was raining that day and a large number of people had gathered for a political meeting. There was every possibility of a stampede in such a large crowd. The school authorities, in fact, have willingly sent the students along with their teachers as per video gotten through Static Surveillance Team,” the DM said in the letter.
Describing the conduct of the school authorities as “very much negligent, indulgent and irresponsible towards their duties, as the parents were unaware of the incident”, she asked the Secretary of SEBA to initiate necessary action as per the provisions of Private School Management Act and other relevant rules.
On April 10, the district administration had served show-cause notices on five schools, namely Adarsha Vidyalaya, Panchgram Quomi Madrassa, Moulana Abdul Ali Memorial Jaliliya Madrassa, Cambridge High School besides Oxford High School. All of them had replied to the notices.
Due to rains on that day, the Congress president had to drive to the venue of his rally at Panchgram from Silchar airport. In his speech, he had expressed gratitude to people for attending the rally braving inclement weather.
Later, when the rains stopped, on seeing his chopper landing at the temporary helipad near the venue of his rally, Gandhi had finished his speech and flew back to Silchar airport.