SURAT: The situation at PP Savani School, Hirabaug, turned tense when a group of activists in saffron scarves claiming to be from Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) reached the school grounds to oppose a group of Class IX girl students appearing in talent search test (TST) clad in burqa on Tuesday.
The right wing activists made representation to the school principal demanding to disallow hijab or burqa in the school. However, before the situation went out of hand, the police reached the spot and detained 12 protesters who refused to leave the school premises. They were later released.
The TST, organised by the education department, started at 9am on Tuesday. Local residents noticed a group of students wearing burqas arriving in a car and entering the school premises. After local residents gathered near the school gate to protest, workers from VHP also reached the spot.
Nilesh Akbari, vice president of VHP Surat, and part of the protestors at the school said, "Few people are trying to make Shahin Baug in Gujarat and we will not tolerate such acts. We did not create disturbance and expressed our concerns by meeting the school principal."
Principal of the school, Sanjay Gohil said, "TST was organised by the education department and around 400 students from Class IX appeared in it. We did not stop any student, all girls who were wearing burqas were also allowed to appear."
