Chennai. While the entire nation has been celebrating Amrit Mahotsav, the stand of R Tamil Selvi (59), headmistress of a government high school at Pedrahalli village near Indur in Dharmapuri district refusing to hoist the national Tricolor flag based on her religious orientation.
Government school Headmistress refused to hoist national flag on the 15th August and another hoisted a flag with “Jesus bless India” at the centre of the flag citing religious grounds.
When invited to hoist the flag, Tamil Selvi refused instead asked a teacher to go and hoist the flag. She told villagers that she did not want to hoist the national flag because she belonged to the Jehovah’s Witness organization and saluting the flag was against her religious beliefs.
She had said that she can offer salute only to her God (Jesus Christ) and not anything else as that is the order of the God and rule of the Bible. She said in a video that went viral, “I go by the bible. Jesus is the supreme God. I will not pray another. When it comes to worship, Jesus is the ultimate.” “I respect only my God’s law. I’m firm that a salute should be offered only to my God.”
According to locals, she refused to do so in the past four years citing the same reasons. She was quoted saying in a report and added that she respects the national flag and meant no disrespect through her actions”. Villagers insisted that she should hoist the flag as she would be retiring this year. Tamil Selvi also refused to recite Thirukkural on the same grounds. Another teacher of the school, Murugan finally hoisted the flag.
Based on a petition by the villagers, Chief Education Officer Chandrasekaran ordered District Educational officer M Rajagopal to inquire into the incident and submit a report within two days. Officials assured that they would take necessary action against the headmistress based on the direction given by the School Education Commissioner K Nandha Kumar. Incidentally this year TN government had ordered the headmasters and headmistresses to hoist the national flag on their school premises.
In another incident, David (34) a zoology teacher working in a govt. school hoisted a national flag in front of his house at Kurinji Nagar in Dharapuram in Tirupur district. In the middle of the tricolour, he pasted a white paper with a words “Oh! Jesus bless India”. Based on a complaint, police rushed to his house and removed the flag with such wordings.
Earlier, in another event, the police had denied permission to take out Tricolor rally as it would pass through churches, mosques and streets dominated by minorities.
