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NHRC issues notices over schoolgirl’s fancy-dress performance in Madhya Pradesh

The presentation used a roll-call format to comment on governance and public concerns, but it prompted the ABVP to demand a public apology. Its workers subsequently visited Christ Senior Secondary School and submitted a memorandum, setting a 72-hour deadline for an apology.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to Madhya Pradesh government officials and the management of a missionary school in Guna district following a controversy over a Class I pupil’s fancy-dress performance that drew objections from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The performance, titled Sarkar ki Pathshala (Government’s Schoolhouse), featured the girl with a cloth tied over her mouth and a placard reading, “Unemployment and Corruption: Present, Democracy: Absent”. The placard listed 10 issues, including unemployment, hatred, corruption, terrorism, inflation, poverty, alleged vote theft, examination paper leaks and scams, as prevalent problems, while marking democracy as “absent”.

The presentation used a roll-call format to comment on governance and public concerns, but it prompted the ABVP to demand a public apology. Its workers subsequently visited Christ Senior Secondary School and submitted a memorandum, setting a 72-hour deadline for an apology.

According to The New Indian Express, ABVP worker Divyansh Bakshi accused the school of deliberately involving children in politics, described the performance as reflecting an “urban naxal” mindset and demanded an apology from the girl’s parents.

Taking cognisance of the matter under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, an NHRC bench headed by member Priyank Kanoongo issued notices to the state’s principal secretary for school education, the Guna district collector, the district education officer and the school’s missionary management.

School principal Babu John said the incident was being treated seriously, adding that the class teacher had been issued a notice and a written explanation had been sent to the district education officer.

However, district education officer Samar Singh Rathore said his office had not received the explanation, and announced that a committee would be formed before further action was taken.