FIR against Sri Sri for remarks on govt schools

A local court on Thursday fixed April 2 as the next date for hearing on a complaint, seeking direction to the police to lodge a first information report against spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar for his remarks alleging government schools to be breeding grounds for Naxalism. The complaint was filed on Thursday in the court.

Lawyers Surendra Dhaka, J P Sharma and Manu Pancholi filed the complaint which was accepted on Thursday. The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Sanganer Dharm Raj Meena fixed April 2 as the next date of hearing.

Addressing a function at a school near Jaipur on Wednesdau evening, Ravishankar said government should privatise education and close state-run schools as they breed Naxals.

"Government ko koi school nahi chalana chahiye. Aksar paya jata hai ki government school se padhe hue bacche hi is tarha naxalvad me hinsa ke marg me chale jate ha,i" (The government should not run any school. It is often found that boys studied in government schools go into Naxalism and violence).

His comments invited wrath of educationists and politicians.

The complaint sought court's direction for the police to lodge an FIR against Ravishankar under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

However, he later claimed that he did not generalize and gave the statement only in reference to sick government schools in Naxal affected areas of the country.

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