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Attack on Ahmedabad schools celebrating Christmas: State human rights panel must act

Counterview Desk
The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) on the attack on schools in Ahmedabad on December 24 with regards to Christmas related celebrations:   
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As per press reports in Ahmedabad Mirror and Navgujarat Samay, dated December 25, 2024 miscreants entered into 4 schools in east Ahmedabad, namely, Om Shanti School (CTM), Raja Bhagat Vidyalaya (Nr. Gor na Kuva), Udgam School (CTM) and The Mother English School (CTM Express Highway) and objected to Christmas celebrations by the schools.  The miscreants forcibly removed Santa Claus costumes of students, and tore down Christmas-related drawings, posters of Santa Claus and Christmas tree decorations displayed on the school notice boards.  The miscreants warned the school administrators and staff against celebrating Christmas in the future, and threatened to cause further harm to the schools including burning Christmas related costumes.
People’s Union for Civil Liberties, an organisation founded in 1976 by Jayaprakash Narayan, Justice Tarkunde and many other individuals to create awareness of and to defend civil liberties and human rights in India, has written to the State Human Rights Commission headed by Justice Kaushal Thaker to take cognisance of these events and to ensure that the miscreants responsible for these events are brought to justice.  In particular, PUCL has demanded that
1.         CCTV footage from the schools should be used to apprehend the miscreants.
2.         Recognising the seriousness of the incidents, the police should take suo motu action and file a complaint and take necessary action against the miscreants.
3.         The CCTV footage from the schools should be preserved.
4.         Anti-social elements should not be allowed to interfere in the celebration of religious festivals of any religion in the future and steps must be taken to ensure the safety of children, teachers and schools participating in such events.
5.         Such actions harm the unity and integrity of India.   So legal action must be taken against the anti-social elements who commit such acts.
6.         These types of acts attack the right of equality and freedom enshrined in the Indian Constitution so steps should be taken so that such acts are not allowed to happen.
7.         Similar attacks have happened in the past too.  Therefore the organisations supporting such miscreants should be identified and investigated also.
Copies of the letter have also been sent to the Police Commissioner and the District Education Officer.   PUCL members have also tried to reach out to the schools to offer moral support and engaged with one of the affected schools.
-- Raghu Rangarajan, Rafi Malek (for Ahmedabad district PUCL)

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