Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Feb 18: The ongoing controversy surrounding St Gerosa School has taken a concerning turn, with Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha of Mangalore Diocese expressing his discontent, particularly targeting MLA Vedavyasa Kamath without explicitly naming him.

In a statement to the media, Bishop Saldanha voiced his concerns, stating, "It is regrettable that certain individuals, who should be responsible leaders, have resorted to actions that only serve to divide our society further. The recent incident involving slogans against teachers reflects a decline in the stature of these public representatives. Rather than calming the situation, they have contributed to creating a discriminatory mindset among the public, dividing people as enemies."

The Bishop further criticized the behavior of the elected representatives who pressured the suspension of the teacher involved, noting that the religious nuns of the Roman Catholic denomination had been promoting harmony among students. He expressed sadness that the same children raised slogans against those who had been teaching them about unity. Bishop Saldanha emphasized the importance of handling such matters through formal complaints, ensuring a fair inquiry, rather than succumbing to pressure from public figures.

Commenting on the call to boycott Christian convent schools made by MLA Bharath Shetty, the bishop challenged the claims of religious conversion, demanding proof of such incidents in Christian-managed schools in Dakshina Kannada. He questioned the unsubstantiated accusations, stating that it does not reflect well on an elected representative to make baseless allegations without evidence.

Additionally, the bishop highlighted MLA Bharath Shetty's visit to the school premises, where he joined a protest organized by Hindutva organization leader Sharan Pumpwell and team. Despite this, MLA Shetty denied his involvement in the legislative assembly. The contrasting statements have added to the complexity of the St Gerosa School incident, raising concerns about the role of public representatives in such matters.