Mumbai: We can give him proof, if he wants, say parents who have been fighting against school management

There were two bouncers (in black) on the school premises, parents say

Parents of 22 students, who were humiliated by Kapol Vidyanidhi International School in Kandivli over non-payment of fees, have slammed the education minister for making light of the incident by presenting wrong information. In the Assembly, Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar has claimed that neither the children were traumatised, nor the school deployed bouncers at the gate.

Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar

It had taken the parents four days to get the police to register an FIR. According to the parents, the school management forced their children to miss their classes and sit in the laboratory for four days. They have been legally fighting the school management's decision to charge them lab fees when practical classes were not held during the lockdown.

In response to questions about the incident, Kesarkar had told the Assembly that Kapol Vidyanidhi International School in Kandivli West did not deploy bouncers at the gate to prevent parents from entering the school. He even claimed that the incident did not leave the children traumatised.

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A parent, who is a complainant in the case, said, "The school not only traumatised our children by forcing them to sit in the laboratory, but it also hired bouncers and we have proof of that. The education minister provided wrong information to the Assembly. This could only mean that the local education officers provided him with wrong information."

Parents say the man in black T-shirt (circled) is one of the bouncers deployed at the Kandivli school in April

"There is pictorial evidence of the bouncers at the gate. How can the education minister give a wrong statement without verifying the facts? If necessary, we can provide these photos as proof to him," another parent proposed.

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Kesarkar also told the Assembly that appropriate action would be taken against the school management after the inquiry. Earlier, a few parents had moved court against the school management over the issue. Six other parents have filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court.

Meanwhile, the state Child Rights Commission has also intervened in the matter, and written to the local police, the school education department and the school management. Principal Reshma Hegde was not available for comment.