The school authorities maintain that the safety of their staff and students is its top priority
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – A reputed private English medium school in Shimla was forced to cancel its 28 March pre-Eid event after a Hindutva outfit, Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, warned of launching a protest against the school.
Auckland House School in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla was planning to hold an event for students from nursery to Class ll on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr (Tentatively falling on March April 1). In this regard, the school authorities issued a circular informing parents about the kurta-pajama dress code for students and ‘sewaiyan’ (roasted vermicelli) in the tiffin.
“Dear parents, for the Eid celebration on 28.03.25, the dress code will be any kurta-pajama with a small cap. The lunchbox should include a roti roll with paneer, sewaiyan, and dry fruits,” reads the message received by parents.
Hindutva leaders took exception to the school’s decision to celebrate the Eid event and launched a campaign on social media against the school.
Bharat Bhushan, convener of Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, issued a warning to the school stating that if the order is not withdrawn, they will protest outside the school and initiate legal action against it.
Following the Hindutva campaign, the school announced cancellation of the event stating that the safety of their staff and students is its top priority.
“It has come to our notice that certain individuals have posted false, misleading, and communally inflammatory messages regarding our institution on social media platforms. Auckland House School has always celebrated cultural and religious festivals such as Holi, Eid, Diwali, Gurpurab, and Christmas, not as a religious mandate but as a tribute to the pluralistic spirit of India. Our aim is to foster empathy, understanding, and respect among children from all backgrounds. Participation is always voluntary, and there is no religious ritual or instruction involved,” reads the statement.
Condemning the distortion of facts, the school further stated, “We strongly condemn attempts to misrepresent these celebrations as religious propaganda. Such actions only serve to harm social harmony and misguide the public. We are particularly concerned that these posts have disclosed information meant strictly for internal circulation, thereby violating privacy, endangering individuals, and breaching the norms of responsible digital conduct. This constitutes a misuse of restricted information.”
The school administration called for the removal of misleading content from social media and urged the public to act responsibly.
“We respectfully urge all individuals and platforms to immediately remove such posts and stop compromising institutional and individual safety. Auckland House School remains firmly committed to the values enshrined in the Constitution and the ideals of unity in diversity. We call upon all right-thinking members of society to stand against such divisive and unethical actions, and to support an education grounded in mutual respect, dignity, and truth,” it further reads.
State Education Minister Rohit Thakur said the matter was being exaggerated to provoke communal sentiments.
Speaking to ANI, Minister Thakur said, “This issue is being exaggerated only to provoke communal sentiments. The matter will be investigated. However, the message from the school administration was issued solely with the intent of maintaining communal harmony.”
He further stressed the need to verify the facts before jumping to conclusions, noting that the school in question has a longstanding reputation.
“Today itself, I became aware of this matter through media reports. We will confirm the details, as the school being named is a well-established, reputed convent institution here. Himachal Pradesh is known for its communal harmony and goodwill, and we will ensure that this remains intact,” Thakur stated.
Pointing out the role of social media in amplifying such issues, Thakur cautioned against those who deliberately create divisions in society.
“There are certain individuals in society who unnecessarily attempt to create rifts. These matters must be put to rest. I have gathered information about the entire case because, in today’s era of social media, it does not take long for such issues to escalate. We stand in favour of strengthening communal harmony. Our social fabric must remain intact, with respect for all religions. That is what we will strive to uphold,” he added.
