School Children At PM Modi Road Show: Action Taken: Inquiry Ordered 

Coimbatore/Hyderabad, March 19 (Maxim News): An inquiry has been initiated into an incident where school children were brought to participate in a roadshow undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Coimbatore.

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The Coimbatore District Education Officer on Tuesday, today, instructed the management of the government-aided Sri Sai Baba Vidyalayam Aided Middle School to take strict action against the headmaster and staff, and submit a detailed report of the incident.

The PM’s roadshow took place on Monday, March 18, 2024. While several children were seen watching the show, others, under the age of 14, were observed dressed as Hindu deities, donning saffron-colored cloth strips bearing party symbols, at various locations throughout the roadshow, performing on stages arranged by workers of the BJP. This is in violation of an Election Commission of India directive that states: “The prohibition extends to the use of children to create the semblance of a political campaign in any manner including use of poems, songs, spoken words, display of insignia or political party, promoting achievements of a political party…”

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Although the school’s headmaster was unavailable for comment, students present at the roadshow said school authorities instructed them to gather at the Sai Baba Colony junction two hours before the event. This was close to the starting point of the roadshow, which spanned a four-kilometre stretch between Ganga Hospital on Mettupalayam Road and the Head Post Office in R. S. Puram.

Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati had responded to The Hindu’s post on social media platform X regarding the matter, stating, “We have taken cognisance of the issue and the ARO has sought reports from the respective departments. Suitable action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry.”

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Chief Education Officer (CEO) M. Balamurali had said: “We have initiated an investigation. Prior to the event, all schools were explicitly instructed to abstain from such practices.”

Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) P. Suresh,  confirmed these practices violate the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). “Once the inquiry is concluded, reports will be forwarded to the Election Commission for further action,” he said. (Maxim News) 

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