Bengaluru: In a fresh twist to the National Public School (NPS) controversy , it is now claimed that some ministers shielded it from criminal action, although the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) was aware in 2015 of its alleged forgery of documents to claim minority status and escape reserving seats for underprivileged children under the Right to Education Act.
A day after protests by various Kannada organisations against the school, more documents surfaced on Wednesday claiming the NPS had escaped action so far due to its powerful backers in the state government.
Some documents sent anonymously to Deccan Chronicle showed that in May 2015 then commissioner of DPI, Mohammed Mohsin had directed Rajajinagar Block Education Officer (BEO), Gopalakrishna to file a case against the NPS on the issue, but was informed by the officer in turn that he had received an oral direction from transport minister, Ramalinga Reddy not to act against the school.
Also, file notings allegedly made by then Primary and Secondary Education minister, Kimmane Rathnakar show that he asked DPI officials not to take any action against the school until he had examined the case against it for himself.
While Mr. Rathankar could not be contacted for his comments, an associate said he would not be available until Thursday morning. All efforts to contact Mr. Ramalinga Reddy for his comments on the authenticity of the documents received also failed.
‘Check minority schools list’
The Karnataka State Commission for Child Rights (KCPCR) has written a letter to the DPI urging the department to check the list of schools which have claimed the benefit of minority status. KCPCR Chairperson Krupa Alva told Deccan Chronicle that it is sad that some schools have forgotten their social obligations. “State government should reimburse the fee amount of RTE students. We want the list of minority schools to be scrutinised,” she said.
Reddy: Why should I be involved in it?
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy denied the allegations leveled against him. “I am not the education minister. School never approached me for any help. Why should I get involved in education department works," he asked.
“I never called any officer or issued any direction. I was the district incharge minister in 2015, but you cannot point towards me for all these issues. There are more than 50 departments in the district,” he said.
