Gujarat transfers 6 teachers for ‘worshipping’ Asaram Bapu

VADODARA: Six teachers including two principals were transferred to Kutch district from Mahisagar district for holding and participating in an event where an aarti of a photograph of Asaram Bapu, convicted in rape cases, by courts in Gandhinagar and Jodhpur, was performed.
The incident had taken place on Valentine's Day February 14 in the Jamapagina Muvada primary school in Viraniya village of Lunawada taluka in the district. The incident had gone unnoticed till photographs of the event surfaced a couple of days later.
Valentine's Day was celebrated as 'Matru-Pitru Pujan Divas' as suggested by Asaram. Devotees of Asaram still celebrate February 14 as a day when youths should worship their parents.
The photograph of Asaram was kept on a chair beside the photograph of a goddess on another chair. Students of the school and teachers had assembled for the event. One of the photographs showed a teacher performing aarti of the pictures.
The district administration swung into action after the incident and started a preliminary inquiry.
State education minister Kuber Dindor had also said in Vadodara that a report was sought regarding the programme.
On Thursday, five teachers including the principal of the school where the event was held were transferred to Kutch. "The principal of a nearby school who had also participated in the event was also transferred by the government," said Mahisagar district development officer (DDO) KD Lakhani.
Lakhani added that a departmental inquiry will now be conducted against the teachers in Kutch now. "The details of the preliminary inquiry will be provided for the inquiry," he said.