Around 3 p.m., Education Minister Manish Sisodia entered a classroom of a government girls school in Jaffrabad, where a parents-teachers meeting was on going. The Minister smiled at students and parents before he asked: “The students are looking a little tense. Are you all fine?”
Many replied “yes” with a weak smile.
On Wednesday, Mr. Sisodia interacted with students and parents in three government schools in riot-hit areas of north-east Delhi and assured students that there will be peace and urged them to focus on studies.
Inside the classroom, as Mr. Sisodia asked 16-year-old Izna Khan whether there was violence in her mohalla, she replied in the affirmative. “We just want our citizenship. nothing else,” Ms. Khan, who lives in Seelampur, told the Minister.
Mr. Sisodia then asked 15-year-old Fatima Bi: “Were you afraid?”, to which Fatima replied that she was “a little” scared. “You are not afraid now, right?” he later asked, to which she shook her head.
“Everything will be peaceful... you concentrate on your studies and your families,” the Minister told the students. Before leaving, he told the teacher present in the class that counselling should be done for students, if required.
“The parents are still a little afraid but most of them said that they will send students for examinations,” the teacher told Mr. Sisodia.
“There was heavy stone pelting in our area but they did not burn any houses,” Fatima later told The Hindu. The teenager said that it was good that the Minister was visiting schools as it sent a message to them that things were “peaceful”.
“I told the Minister about NRC that we only want our citizenship. We do not have any problem with Modi ji,” Ms. Khan said. “She is just a child,” her father said as he put his arm around her outside the classroom.
The Delhi government had organised the special parent-teacher meeting in the riot-affected areas with a motive to restore confidence in students.
“The students were told that if they miss the CBSE board exam on March 7, they can appear for it later. For new dates, they can contact their schools after March 7,” an official statement read.