Girl objects to separate classes for SC students, rusticated

Charanjit Singh Teja

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 9

A girl student of the Institute of Skill Development, Lahori Gate, who questioned the management’s decision of holding separate classes for the SC students, was rusticated from the institute.

Taniya Luthra, a student of make-up artist course, said, “The institute management has been discriminating against the students belong to the SC community as they are forced to sit separate from the students belong to the general and Backward Class category.”

“My friend in the same institute told me that the students belong to the SC and general category sit together in the sewing and stitching classes. I shared it with my elder brother and questioned why the management is discriminating in some courses. On October 4, my brother visited the institute and asked the in-charge, Radhika Chugh, in this regard. She stated that they were providing the course free and you were asking such a question,” said Taniya.

Victim’s brother Vishav Luthra said, “I told the in-charge that the government is conducting the course free and you can’t say this. It is derogatory. Thereafter, she called one of the employees and asked him to return the certificate of my sister and cancel her admission.”

On October 7, a teacher called Taniya and informed her about her termination from the institute.

Radhika Chugh, who is the in-charge of the institute, is the wife of BJP secretary Tarun Chugh.

When The Tribune team visited the institute, Radhika Chugh’s husband Tarun Chugh came on her behalf and clarified that the Centre Government makes separate batches for the welfare of students belong to the SC, BC and general categories. “To empower them, there is a separate course for the daughters of sanitation workers. The students from different communities sit in separate classes in all institutes of skill development. We are following the guidelines of the Centre Government. Videography of classrooms is done and the ministry keeps an eye on it. The batches started on different dates under separate schemes of the Centre Government,” said Chugh

When asked why Taniya Luthra was sacked, he said she misbehaved with his wife Radhika Chugh.

Meanwhile, Taniya has filed a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner and requested him to intervene in the matter.

Taniya got admission to a three-month course and she has completed her two months.