An arbitrary order by a missionary convent school, St Francis, in the Delapeer locality of Bareilly, has created a row. The school issued an order to ban turbans donned by Sikh students and kadas (bracelets) and kirpans carried by them calling it a violation of the school uniform. The school management reportedly told the students of the Sikh community that if they do not follow the directive, they won't be allowed entry into the school. The ban order was reportedly read out, on Wednesday, July 20, by the school management at the morning assembly. When the news reached the parents, they thronged the school in large numbers to lodge a huge protest on Thursday, July 21.
Parents belonging to the Sikh community even claimed that their children were not allowed entry in the morning as they were wearing turbans and kada. Owing to the huge build-up at the school gate, the district administration and the police authorities had to intervene to settle the issue between the two sides. The school principal, who claimed that the decision to ban turbans, kadas and kirpans, was not meant to hurt the religious sentiments of any community, narrated an incident wherein two students scuffled over some issue and one of them got injured by the kada worn by the other.
He said that he took the kada from the student and called his parents the next day urging them to replace the heavy bracelet with a lighter one so that it could not injure other students. The principal added that the parents misunderstood his request and created a ruckus on the campus. In the meantime, the school bishop cancelled the order, tendering an apology to the protesting parents who then called off their demonstration putting the issue to rest.
