A shocking incident came to light at St Lawrence School in Vashi as around six students of class 10 were reportedly expelled from the school on Tuesday for allegedly chanting Jai Shri Ram near the washroom area of the school premises. The school, however, refuted the allegation when different groups and political parties protested outside the school on Wednesday. Vijay Walunj, a representative of a former corporator from Vashi under whose area the school falls, said that he came to know that six students were expelled from the school for allegedly chanting “Jai Shree Ram” near the washroom on Monday morning.As news of the alleged rustication spread, the students’ wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged a protest outside the school on Wednesday. The agitators met the principal, Saira Kennedy, and asked her to immediately call those students to the school and tender a written apology.
Sandesh Dongre, city leader of MNS, said, “We condemn the school’s action to rusticate the students for raising the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan. The principal did give us an apology letter and agree to take back the students.”The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Sakal Hindu Samaj and other right-wing groups threatened an agitation if the school did not call back those students. In her defence, Kennedy said the students, during recess time, were screaming while rushing from the corridor to the washroom. “I heard it and went to the floor to check. However, I did not hear any ‘Jai Shri Ram’ cries. The students were screaming in a very unusual manner, which was not normal. ”She further clarified, “It is a matter of concern because of indiscipline. Hence, we took disciplinary action. We asked the six students to bring their parents to the school within three days. The parents of four of them came on Tuesday. We met them and asked them to find out why the children behaved in such a manner and told them that such behavior was unacceptable. ”Denying that the children had been rusticated, she said, “I never once mentioned the word rusticate or suspend. Our intention is not to create any problem for the children. They are our Lawrence children. We do not have the right to rusticate. The children are attending class.”The principal later issued a letter expressing regret if the `misunderstanding’ had hurt anyone’s sentiments.