DHNS

• Verbal duel, fracas breakout at SDMC meet 

Beltangady, Aug 3: Going beyond the limits, the emergency meeting of School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) of Nittade Higher Primary School under Kukkedi Gram Panchayat limits witnessed verbal attacks and fracas between the members.  

For many, the emergency meeting of School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) of Nittade Higher Primary School under Kukkedi Gram Panchayat limits near here held on Thursday, was a miniature of the State Assembly session. Going beyond the limits of a usual meeting, the discussion witnessed verbal attacks and fracas between the members.

Parents ascended the dais and beat the tables like drums; shouted in front of mikes; entered into skirmish, leaving the officials silent spectators. Finally, the meeting had to be continued with the help of police. The meeting had been convened on the instructions of Zilla Panchayat President Sushma Janardhan. However, she was not present in the meeting.

One Kamalaksha, who was the president of SDMC, had submitted written complaints with reportedly false allegations to a wide range of persons from Gram Panchayat chief to the President of India regarding the activities of the school. Following this, Deputy Director of Public Instructions (DDPI) and Belthangady Block Education officer (BEO) had visited the school, as per the directions of the district in-charge minister.
 
On July 5 last,Kamalaksha sent his resignation letter to the school which stated that he was exiting from SDMC because of the “ugly” activities of the school. Later, another Padmanabha was elected president of the SDMC, while Kamalaksha was dismissed from even the membership of the committee.

However, Kamalaksha complained to Zilla Panchayat and Gram Panchayat heads demanding justice for him for he was taken out of the SDMC. This led the ZP president to ask the SDMC to conduct an emergency meeting.

The members were asked to indicate their opinion by raising their hands regarding the membership of Kamalaksha. As only 5 members supported him, while the remaining 95 said “no”, his primary membership of DMC was cancelled once again.

BEO K L Manjula clarified that she found no irregularities in the school during her visit, as mentioned in Kamalaksha’s petition. ZP Vice-President Rajashri Hegde advised that the officials should consider only those complaints received through SDMC.

ZP former vice-president P Dharanendra Kumar, State Government Employees Association President Dr Jayakeerthi Jain among others were present.