Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, May 22: The United Muslim Organization, DK district, on Friday May 22 organized a protest near the DC's office demanding closure of Mangalore One school and a public apology by its management in connection to the sexual assault of its LKG student allegedly by school van driver Madhukar.
Addressing the protest, former mayor K Ashraf who heads the organization said, "From past two months our organization has been fighting for this cause but no action has been taken against the school management. Police commissioner and deputy commissioner have taken initiative to solve this case and we thank them. But despite being aware of the incident, the school management has never apologized for its faults, as it is owned by a retired police officer.
"The school authorities also have taken the injury report by devious means and shared it with parents. We demand that the school admit its faults and apologizes publicly," he said.
"We also approached many political representatives in this regard. When a similar incident had taken place in Bengaluru action was immediately taken against the school, so why not in this case? If such apathy continues, students of this school will never get justice if anything goes wrong in future also. Let us join hands and keep up this struggle for justice till the school is shut down and action taken," he added.
President of Universal Welfare Forum (UNIWEF) Rafiquddin Kudroli said, "Various protests have been held in various places regarding this incident. In many such cases Muslims become the victims."
While lauding the police and the district administration, Rafiquddin criticized health minister and Ullal MLA U T Khadar without naming him, and said, "He may be MLA now but if he continues to show the same attitude, he will soon be a former MLA. Though the incident took place just 5 km from his residence, when we approached him he acted as if he did not know anything about it. If the police department has taken any action, it is not because of politicians but because law has taken its course."
He further said, "When the chief minister was sworn in, he had assured to make the state free of communalism. But the immoral police is still active. Though we had given 10 days' time to take action in this case, nothing was done and hence we are holding this protest, and we will continue it till our demands are met."
Demanding apology from Mangalore One school, he said, "Our single agenda is that the school should be closed. We are not responsible for its students. The school should call a press meet and say it is ashamed of this incident and it would stand by the victim in providing her justice. But the school is not ready to do this. Investigation should also be initiated into how the injury certificate got leaked. The school management has also tried to curb our protest.
"In future if any injustice is done against the minority Muslims, our organization will stand unitedly and protest," he added.
Dakshina Kannada Imam Council president Jaffer Sadique Faizi said, "The school authorities are silent on this incident. The management is trying to curb our protests. The school should be closed down as the management is egoistic and they are challenging the community. When our fact-finding team visited the school, they used police force to stop the team.
"Does the Muslim community need to hold district-level protests in order to get justice? Political representatives and some police officers are in favour of the accused. In the coming days, we will gherao the school and protest there, and then at the state-level, and we will continue till proper action is taken against the school," he warned, demanding thorough investigation on how the injury certificate leaked into the hands of the school.
Around 40 organizations joined hands in the protest.
Azeez Kudroli, Shafi Bellare, Mohammed Haneef, Mohammed Kunhi and others were present.