THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Stating that the complaint of allegations of terrorist links does not fall under its purview, the Kerala State Commission for Minorities on Tuesday forwarded the complaint filed by the terminated principal of Dr GR Public School, S Shamna Begum, to the chief secretary for further action. Commission chairman A Abdul Rasheed said that even though the complainant had mentioned various issues against her previous school management, the only area in which the body can act upon - discrimination based on her minority status - has not been stated properly. Meanwhile, the complainant said that the commission reacted in a biased manner and didn’t even consider the evidence she enlisted.
“There are various aspects that Shamna mentions in her complaint, including terror allegations, mental harassment, cyberbullying, and even a demand for forensic analysis of a letter, which do not fall under our purview.
Since different sides of the complaint are likely to be addressed by different agencies, we handed over the complaint to the chief secretary for initiating further actions,” Abdul Rasheed told TNIE.
Adding that the same case is under the consideration of the court and hence cannot be considered, the chairman said that no instruction can be initiated from his side to reinstate Shamna as the school principal or lift the ban against her from entering the school or quarters.
The commission can act only to ensure the socioeconomic, educational, and language rights of the citizens from the minority communities, none of which have been mentioned by the complainant, Rasheed added.
Meanwhile, Shamna Begum slammed the commission stating that it treated the complaint in a biased manner.
“The commission even hesitated to consider the hundred-odd pieces of evidence I had kept ready to prove my point. If my relatives visit my family in my quarters, does that make me a terrorist? What is the point of such a commission if it does not take action against my complaint?” she told TNIE.
Stating that the school’s managing trustee, R S Harikumar, terminated her due to a personal vendetta of unknown reason, Shamna added that the school has had six principals in the last five years alone, all appointed by the same trustee.