Classes Halted As MP School Used For Religious Event, Minister Denies

A government primary school has been turned into a kitchen and an Anganwari centre into a makeshift air-conditioned resting place in Rathkheda village of Shivpuri district for a Bhagavad Katha event organised by Madhya Pradesh Minister of State Suresh Dhakad Rathkheda's support to mark a temple's renovation. Students of the school allege that classes have been halted for a week now as the school premises are being used for the religious event but Minister Rathkheda has denied the charge.

The school premises were being used to cook food and prasad for devotees. Some of the classrooms were used to store the raw material for cooking food and mineral water bottles, while other classrooms are being used as resting places for women engaged in preparing food.

Classes at the school have been disrupted since the Bhagavad Katha started at a neighbouring temple on April 3.

Government primary school into a kitchen,anganwadi centre into a makeshift air-conditioned resting place in Rathkheda for a Bhagvad Katha event organised by minister of state Suresh Dhakad Rathkheda to mark a goddess temple's renovation @ndtv @ndtvindia pic.twitter.com/gHyJj7SHRu

— Anurag Dwary (@Anurag_Dwary) April 10, 2022

Laali and Sangam, two Class four girl students alleged that the classes have not been held since the tent was erected at the school. The tent has been placed just outside the school building to cook food. Suraj Singh, local resident, said the classes at the primary school have been disrupted as food is being cooked on school premises for devotees.

An Anganwadi centre was also allegedly turned into a makeshift rest house for a religious leader and an air conditioner was temporarily installed for ensuring a comfortable stay for the preacher.

However, the local BJP MLA and Minister of State Suresh Dhakad Rathkheda denies that the classes have been disrupted. When questioned, he said, "Who says the school is closed, it's open. The place where the Bhagavad Katha is going on isn't close to the school, so how can the functioning of the school be affected by the Katha."

Rathkheda village is the native village of local BJP MLA, Scindia loyalist and MP Minister of State Suresh Yadav Rathkheda.

Jyotiraditya Scindia and the state's Home Minister Narottam Mishra also visited the Bhagavad Katha pandal.