Mangaluru: Several organizations attached to the Muslim community on Friday staged a protest demanding the closure of Mangaluru One School, Thokkottu, where the LKG student was allegedly raped by their school van driver.
“The school has claimed that the child was injured by a desk and was not raped. It’s an irresponsible gesture by the school management. Why will the mother claim her daughter is raped simply?”, said K. Ashraf,
He demanded the state government withdraw the permission issued to the school. “If not, we will hold demonstration right in front of the school, until government take action against it”, he warned.
Ashraf, who was a mayor of MCC, wanted to know as to why the politicians were not backing the parents, to fight the case.
In his address, Pattabhi Somyaji, professor of Mangaluru University, said the government has been inactive in this incident. “If we don’t protest, the government does not understand the importance of an issue. If the concerned authorities do not withdraw the permission issued to the school, lets protest until they do”, he said.
Mr. Somyaji also felt that it was incorrect on the part of the school to come out with insensitive statements when their student is being raped by their own employee. “The management should publicly tender an apology for such statements. In addition to it, the school should see that they bear the entire educational expenses of the girl, until she wishes to study. If these two things are done, we will stop the protest”, he added.
A.K Kukkila said that the parents were not supported by a section of people, only because the girl belongs to a Muslim community. “When Nirbhaya was raped and murdered, Soujanya’s case, we all hit the streets, without keeping religion in our mind. But, now, why all of them are quiet? , he asked.
“Today, more than the crime, religion counts first. The school too did not stand by the girl. It supported the rapist. Hence, we demand justice and action against the school.
It’s the first incident in the coastal Karnataka. Therefore, people have to take action against the culprit, so that no one repeats it.
