Sirsa: ITI student’s expulsion revoked after protest by villagers, activists

Anil Kakkar

Sirsa, May 28

Demanding the reinstatement of a student, who was expelled for low attendance, members of a social organisation and villagers staged a protest in front of the government ITI at Odhan village on Tuesday.

After the protest, the principal intervened in the matter and pacified the protesters.

Manoj Kumar, a resident of Nuhianwali village, who is a student of the Fitter trade at the ITI, said he couldn’t attend classes for 10 days due to some household work.

“When I returned the ITI on Tuesday, I got to know that I had been expelled from the class by teacher, Amardeep. My name was removed from the attendance register,” he said.

Manoj said after that, he visited the ITI twice on Tuesday and received the same response.

Thereafter, Manoj took up the issue with the Janata Aadhikar Morcha, led by its state president Jaswinder Singh Babbu. On Tuesday, members of the organisation and local villagers reached the ITI and met Principal Anil Kumar and teachers.

They requested the principal to allow Manoj to sit in the class, but the principal told them that his name had been removed and they could not do anything. Thereafter, they sat on a protest outside the main gate of the ITI.

Jaswinder Singh said, “The institute’s management is involved in discrimination, which will not be tolerated. The principal favoured a student who has not attended classes for six months. No action has been taken against him, but the student from a poor family was unable to attend classes due to some compulsion, his name was removed. This makes it clear that the management is discriminating against him.”

After nearly 30 minutes of the protest, the principal and other staff members intervened in the matter and talked to the protesters. Later, Manoj was allowed to attend the classes.

Giving information about the incident, Anil Kumar said Manoj remained absent for several days without giving any application or information. The principal said they sent messages to his home on two occasions. He said they did not discriminate against any student and if a student has not been attending classes for six months, there must be a medical issue.