Thrissur: A school owner in Kerala has sparked a furore after telling students to go to Pakistan as they did not deserve to live in India.
The students’ fault? They skipped the Independence Day celebrations at his school.
Dr Raju Davis, owner of Dr Raju Davis International School in Mala, Thrissur, was utterly upset to see more than half of the students not in school to attend the August 15 celebrations.
So much so that the owner gave the parents and children a piece of his mind by firing unpleasant messages on the school’s WhatsApp groups.
Davis said he had spent an additional Rs 1 lakh to arrange buses on all routes to bring students to school for the Independence Day programme, but many parents chose not to send their children.
“I could have put it in my pocket without organising it but I didn’t do that as I wanted our children to know why we celebrate this day and the greatness of it,” he said in the WhatsApp message.
“More than half of parents have not sent their children to school. I won’t let them inside class tomorrow. They have to meet me in person and give an explanation. This is very very bad. These people must go to some other nation, Pakistan. They don’t deserve to live here,” Davis wrote.
Sensing the resentment his comments had caused, Davis later sent an audio message saying his remarks had been misunderstood.
“I did not say that one should go to the country of a particular religion. I did not ask to go to Sudan, Bangladesh or Arab countries. I said Pakistan because since 1947 Pakistan is our country’s enemy nation,” he said.
“I made the message very clear but some people misunderstood it. I said it’s everybody’s responsibility to take part in it. And the responsibility of the parents to send their children to the event. I said those who do not attend must go to Pakistan,” Davis said in the audio.
Protests erupt
His explanation hardly satisfied critics.
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Kerala Students Union (KSU), student wings of the Left and Congress respectively, registered their protest.
KSU activists gathered in front of Dr Raju Davis’ residence and blocked the road, demanding action against him. Police had to intervene to disperse the protesters. Some of the KSU activists were taken into custody also.
Davis had to apologise for his remarks through another audio message.