A day after a well-known private school in the national Capital came under fire for asking its teachers and students to become BJP members, the Delhi Government issued a show-cause notice to the school and ordered a probe against it. According to officials at the Education Department, the action has been taken against the Ryan International School, which has campuses in Vasant Kunj, Rohini and Mayur Vihar. This came following direction by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who also holds the Education portfolio in the Cabinet.
Allegations suggest that the school management asked its teachers and students to take membership of BJP. When contacted, senior executive at Ryan International’s head-office in Mumbai, Niti Srinivasan said, “No drive asking students and teachers to join BJP was initiated in any of the group’s schools. The school had only supported Government’s Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan.” However, once the Government issued the show cause notice to the school, the school authorities on all campuses refused to comment.
Education department officials said that the focus of its probe was on whether the school authorities had asked staff, including the teachers, and students to take BJP membership. Sisodia tweeted, “We were intimated about the happenings at Ryan International School following which we issued them a show cause notice and have given them three days time to revert. The deputy directorate of education has been handed over this case to probe further. Further all schools have been asked to not propagate or promote political parties or ideologies in schools.”
As per Ryan International School website, the group has a total of 106 educational institutions in 15 States. The Group had started its first school in Mumbai in 1976. Srinivasan said the school authorities in Delhi will send letters to parents to clarify the issue.