Right wing outfit Bajrang Dal on Tuesday protested inside the campus of a prominent residential school, Welham Boys, after the latter floated an advertisement asking suppliers for ‘halal’ meat.
Although the school is closed owing to the ongoing Covid pandemic, management is gearing up for reopening once the government gives its’ nod.
In continuation with the preparations for reopening the school, a tender was floated in a local news daily on Sunday inviting suppliers for several food items for the school mess. ‘Halal meat’ was also listed in the tender.
Opposing the move, several workers of Bajrang Dal barged inside the Welham Boys School premises and shouted slogans against the school management. The workers said the majority of the students and staff at school belonged to a particular community and the school management’s decision to serve ‘halal’ meat was an attempt to insult their sentiments.
“We have filed a complaint with the local police demanding action against the school management for insulting Hindu students and community. We demand strong action against management for fanning communal tension," said Vikash Sharma, president, Bajrang Dal soon after filing a complaint at the Dalanwala police station.
An official said the matter was “sensitive" and that authorities had been asked to “not act in hurry”.
Meanwhile vice principal of the school Mahesh Kandpal told News18 that school mess prepares both halal and non-halal meat six days in a week.
“The controversy over meat is unnecessary. We floated a tender for the halal meat and next will float tender for the non-halal meat,” the vice principal said.
Welham Boys is one of the oldest and reputed residential public schools in the country. Founded in 1937 by Ms H. S. Oliphant in the foothills of Himalayas, the school presently has a strength of around 450 plus students who come from across the country.
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