School Disallows Student Entry For ‘Tilak’; MP Education Department Asks Institution To Maintain Religious Harmony

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A private school in Indore in Madhya Pradesh has been asked by the education department to maintain “all religion harmony” after it allegedly disallowed a student from sporting a tilak (religious mark on forehead with vermilion), an official said on Sunday.

A video of the student standing outside Shree Bal Vigyan Shishu Vihar Higher Secondary School claiming he was not allowed inside as he was sporting a tilak was widely circulated on social media.

The student also claimed school authorities had said they would give him his transfer certificate in case he repeated the act.

Another video showed some people arguing with school authorities on how they could stop someone from coming to an educational institution simply because he sported a tilak.

In the video, a woman teacher can be heard saying the school was run on the basis of “sarva dharma sambhaav” (equality and harmony among all religions).

District Education Officer (DEO) Manglesh Kumar Vyas told reporters on Sunday that he had discussed the issue with the principal of the school.

“The school principal told me some people are giving this matter undue importance. However, he has expressed regret and said he would hold a meeting with parents of students to sort it out,” Vyas said.

“The school management has been asked to maintain harmony among all religions in the institution. To maintain discipline in schools, students can be asked to wear the same uniform.

However, if a student comes to school with tilak on his birthday, after worshipping or on any special occasion, he cannot be asked to remove it,” Vyas added.