Bible in Bags Is Not Conversion, No Harm in Learning About Another Religion: Bengaluru School Alumni

Clarence High School, a Bengaluru-based educational institution that finds itself in the middle of a controversy after it was alleged that they were forcing students to learn the Bible, has made its stand clear – “Every parent who sought admission were first briefed on the school’s rules and regulations. They signed the undertaking that they had no objection to their children learning the religious text.”

Even as right-wing group Hindu Janajagruti Samithi alleged a “religious conspiracy and coercion”, parents and alumni News18 spoke to refuted it, saying learning the Bible as part of the curriculum did not affect their religious beliefs.

A few parents said they applied to the school as the fees were affordable, but they did not feel that teachings of the Bible were being imposed on their children.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has initiated an inquiry into the controversy. The school has begun legal consultations on the matter they term “defamatory and unfounded”.

THE CLARIFICATION

Established in 1914, the school has clarified that no parent was coerced into signing the undertaking which mentioned that the child would have to compulsorily attend the Scriptures class as part of the curriculum.

“No parent has either raised an issue or objected to it even after signing the undertaking,” Jerry George Mathew, principal of the school told News18. com. “Every parent has signed a no-objection letter and 75% of the students in the school are from the Christian community. Even non-Christians have accepted the rule.”

Mohan Gowda, state spokesperson of the Hindu Janajagruti Samithi, alleged: “The school administration has forced the parents to sign a declaration that students must compulsorily carry and read the Bible. It is a religious conspiracy. It is in violation of Articles 25 and 30 of the Indian Constitution. The Supreme Court has also said that no person can force religious teachings on children of other religions.”

The school rule book has a sub-section called Parents’ declarations which reads: “You affirm that your child will attend all classes including Morning Assembly, Scriptures Class and Clubs for his or her own moral and spiritual welfare and will not object to carrying the Bible and Hymn book during his/her stay at Clarence High school.”

Scriptures was one of the subjects that was taught until Class 9. The school followed the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Board curriculum, so it was not included in Class 10 examinations.

“Legal opinion is being sought on ways to deal with false allegations,” said principal Mathew told News18.

‘JUST ANOTHER SUBJECT’

Dr Hamid Sulaiman, a well-known Bengaluru-based doctor and an alumnus of the school, said his parents chose the school as they wanted to give him the best education possible.

“At no point did we think of our classmates as Hindu or Muslim or Christian. We never felt one religion was being given more importance. My parents always advised us that learning any religious scripture will only enhance our knowledge and make us a better person. Sometimes, I topped in Scriptures too. When we attended the class, we never felt we were being forced to learn the Bible. Whether we read the Bible, Bhagvad Gita or Quran, we were told to learn good moral values,” said Dr Sulaiman, who passed from the school in 1986.

Another recently passed out student of the school who did not want to be named said the class was compulsory and as many of their classmates were Christians and it was a minority school, it was taken for granted that the Bible would be taught.

When asked whether the rule that one should carry the Bible and Hymn book caused any concern, the student said: “It did not bother me. It was just another subject.”

A parent whose daughter has been given admission for LKG this year said that while they did ask the school authorities on why Scriptures was compulsory, the management told them it has been part of the school tradition since inception.

“We were interviewed online and were briefed about the school’s curriculum. My husband was an alumni of the school. We asked the school the same question his parents asked when my husband was being admitted. However, we agreed as my husband felt the education imparted was very good,” the parent told News18.

Another alumni who also wanted to remain anonymous stated that they were taught passages from the religious text and detailed analysis with modern-day anecdotes.

“We studied the Bible till Class 9. But then if we were taught the Bhagvad Gita or Gurbani or any other religious text, we would have learnt that too,” said the alumna who had passed out in 2015.

POLITICALSPEAK

Keshav Rajannna, a Karnataka Congress Party member and alumnus of the school, shared his thoughts, saying learning any religious text only instils discipline and values.

“It is just to create a political narrative and controversy. There are a lot of political people who want their children in this school. They stand in queue during the admission season. But they won’t speak up now. If the allegation is about conversion, my children and I have studied in this school and we have remained Hindus for the past 50 years. I don’t know of anyone who has converted,” he said.

“Former Union minister C M Ibrahim studied in a mutt and he knows Sanskrit. Did that make him a Hindu? Rather, it enriched him. We all study in institutions which give us good values and education. We don’t go there for conversion. Has there been any complaint of forced conversion till now? Every parent has a freedom of choice, and there is no compulsion for anyone to take admission in a particular school. It is their decision,” he added.

He further added, “I believe every religion has good values that can be learnt, hence the school can include texts from all religions.”

Several right-wing supporters took to social media to express their objection on this matter. Many termed it ‘forced conversion’, ‘Christian Evangelist Terrorism’, among other hashtags.

Karnataka Primary and Secondary education Minister BC Nagesh said that no educational institution can force people to follow a certain religious practice. He added that if any institution is found doing so, strict action will be taken against them.

“No institution can teach religious textbooks. As you know, the Bible is a religious book of Christianity. Such things can’t be taught in our institutions. Whether it is a minority institution or other institutions, no religious practices are allowed,” the minister told this reporter over phone.

Interestingly, this controversy comes at a time when the Karnataka education department is contemplating introducing Bhagvad Gita as part of the school curriculum.

“I have not seen what exactly it is. I’ll ask my authorities to look into it and speak to management. I heard that they are a law-abiding school. They have consulted their advocates on this matter and they will follow their advice,” the minister added.

Read all the Latest India News here