A Christian headmistress of a government high school in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu refused to hoist the national flag on the occassion of India’s 76th Independence Day.
Tamil Selvi works as headmistress at the Government High School at Bedarahalli in Dharmapuri district.
On August 15, the Panchayat Council President Nandini, Parent Teacher Association President Munusamy, School Management Committee President Yashoda and students, teachers, parent teacher association administrators and school management committee members participated in the Independence Day celebrations held at the school.
When invited to hoist the flag, Tamil Selvi refused and asked a teacher to go and hoist the flag. She said that she did not want to hoist the national flag because she belonged to the Jehovah’s Witness organization and saluting the flag was against her religious beliefs.
She had said that she can offer salute only to her God (Jesus Christ) and not anything else as that is the order of the God and rule of the Bible.
“I respect only my God’s law. I’m firm that a salute should be offered only to my God.”, she was quoted saying in a report and added that she respects the national flag and meant no disrespect through her actions.
She said that will obey all the laws of the state but will bow down only to her God and not the national flag.
Enraged by her act, the people of the village have condemned the Christian HM’s act and submitted a complaint to the Chief Education Officer on Tuesday (August 16).
The people who met the reporters after this said that the teacher had insulted the national flag and was bringing religious politics into the school.
(With inputs from News 18 Tamil Nadu)
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