Corruption v/s anti-corruption: the fire razes at Dr.Ambedkar English High School, Mapusa

Two teachers Anat Kaushal and Milan Nare has challenged the might of the Corrupt retired bureaucrat Mr.N.G.Akhergekar. He asked two teachers to pay bribe of Rs.9 lakh each to get their services confirmed. Their struggle has been ongoing for the past 2 years with Goa bench of Bombay High Court directing Goa education department to to investigate the matter. The department slept over the matter and only woke up to investigate after the contempt of court petition from Anant Kaushal and Milan Nare. 

The ongoing inquiry too has been not satisfactory as education department has suddenly indulged in travesty of justice by attempting to close it down after the lawyer of the two teachers fell ill and was not able to attend hearing few days ago to education department to represent the two teachers. The department instead of granting new date is attempting to close down the investigation start proceedings to terminate the two teachers. It looks like Education department headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has personal interest to protect corrupt bureaucrat ex-deputy director of sports Mr. N.G.Akhergekar, who had his family members as his collaborators to run the school.

In the meanwhile this N.G.Akhergakar has taken few innocent teachers of the school for a ride and inciting them to fight against the two brave teachers Anant Kaushal and Milan Nare. Students of the school are monitored and are sought to be prevented from contact with Kaushal and Nare. Here is an example of what it is like to study at Dr.Ambedkar English High School for a bright students like Eknath Rathod whose brilliance is sparkling courage indomitable in standard VIII. Here is his first hand account of what happened in school on 29th March 2014 addressed to Child help line shared with this blog.

"I mast. Eknath Shankar Rathod student of class VIIIth studying in Dr. Ambedkar English High School Kuchelim, Bardez-Goa would like to seek protection from you to get rid from the torture of the Manager and few teachers.

I have habit of asking difficulties to my teachers. So on Saturday dated 29/3/2014 during interval I approached my class teacher Mrs. Milan Nare; who is teaching English subject to get my difficulties solved. I entered the room along with some other students to ask my difficulties where Milan teacher and Anant sir sits. The manager Mr. N.G. Akhargekar followed us holding the mobile in his hand and started video recording of my conversation with Milan Nare. Then I asked, the Manager, “Why are you taking my video recording? Can’t we ask our difficulties to teachers?”  He didn’t reply to my question.  Maths teacher Sahirabanu Jamadhar intervened in between and scolded me for asking question to the manager. She warned me not to ask any question to elders. Milan teacher also ask the Manager why he was taking her video recording? Without replying to her question he raised his hand to beat me. Sir Anant intervened in between and requested the manager not to beat me. He then went out murmuring, “I will show you”.

Then I went out and asked the manager why he is harassing me. Headmaster Mr. Dattaram Chari came there. Then the manager called P.E. sir Mr. Sidharth Shirodkar and Drawing sir Mr. Pravin Kalangutkar and ordered them to catch and thrash me. On the order of the Manager both the teachers came running after me. P. E. Sir Sidharth gave me bad words, “tu kite amachi sheta todtalo? Chedyechya. Tuka fodun udayatalo. I was frightened and ran as fast as I could to my class teacher Milan where she was sitting. I stood back of her. Both the P.E. sir and drawing sir came there and pounced on me. Both of them also pounced on Anant sir and Milan teacher as they didn’t allow them to beat me. Banging his chest P.E. sir told that he has got much support he can do what he want. Anant sir requested both the teachers not to beat me and settle the matter. But both went over them to fight. The Headmaster Mr. Dattaram Chari was silent spectator in the beginning. Later he scolded Milan teacher and Anant sir for not allowing the P.E. sir and Drawing sir to beat me.

The incident was witnessed by many students as it was interval time. Few among them were Akashay Hadagali, Padma Pujari, Asma Huballi, Gautam Kamble, Vitthal Sawant, Ganesh Rathod etc.

The Manager, the Headmaster and other few teachers are harassing me since I asked the manager to give fee receipt when any fee is charged from the students. Then onward on many occasions the Manager, Headmaster and few other teachers have been harassing me and insulting me. I have earlier given complaints in the Education Department but my harassment is not yet stopped.

I strongly condemn the humiliating act of the Manager and a few teachers who unite to harass and abuse the children instead of giving them protection and care.

I also request you to take this issue to the appropriate authority to take action on the said persons who threaten and abuse the children and behave in a rude manner with us."

What is going in this school is truly appallingly deplorable and Bharat Mukti Morcha calls for strict action against all those involved in this attack on Eknath Rathod, Anant Kaushal and Milan Nare. The educational atmosphere led by manager N.G.Akhergakar in school is filled with yearnings for corruption more than yearnings for learning.