NEW DELHI, Mar 19: An inquiry has been initiated into the incident of school children being brought to participate in a roadshow of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was campaigning for the BJP in Coimbatore on Monday.
The Coimbatore District Education Officer on Tuesday instructed the management of the government-aided Sri Sai Baba Vidyalayam Middle School to take strict action against the headmaster and staff, and submit a detailed report of the incident.
The PM’s roadshow took place on Monday when several children were seen watching the show while others, under the age of 14, were observed dressed as Hindu deities, donning saffron-coloured cloth strips bearing party symbols, at various locations throughout the roadshow, performing on stages arranged by workers of the BJP. This is in violation of an Election Commission of India directive that states: “The prohibition extends to the use of children to create the semblance of a political campaign in any manner including use of poems, songs, spoken words, display of insignia or political party, promoting achievements of a political party.”
Although the school’s headmaster was unavailable for comment, students present at the roadshow said school authorities instructed them to gather at the Sai Baba Colony junction two hours before the event. This was close to the starting point of the roadshow, which spanned a four-kilometre stretch between Ganga Hospital on Mettupalayam Road and the Head Post Office in R. S. Puram.
Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati posted on social media platform X regarding the matter, stating, “We have taken cognisance of the issue and the ARO has sought reports from the respective departments. Suitable action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry.”
Inquiries were then initiated by the Joint Commissioner of the Labour Department and the Chief Education Officer, aiming to scrutinise the involvement of children and the role of BJP members in having the children stage artistic performances during the campaign.
Chief Education Officer (CEO) M. Balamurali had said: “We have initiated an investigation. Prior to the event, all schools were explicitly instructed to abstain from such practices.” Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) P. Suresh, confirmed these practices violate the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). “Once the inquiry is concluded, reports will be forwarded to the Election Commission for further action,” he said.
(Manas Dasgupta)