Team Herald
PORVORIM: For the past month, Balkrishna Busa has been sitting under the hot sun opposite the Education Department in Porvorim demanding justice for his two daughters who he says were harassed and victimized by the headmistress of a Taleigao-based school.
His hunger strike has entered the 36th day as he seeks justice demanding that the headmistress be sacked.
Speaking to Herald, Busa said, “It started when the headmistress came to my wife asking her to give in writing against some teacher in the same school. When my wife refused she herself wrote the letter and started asking my daughters to sign on it. My daughters refused and since then she has been harassing my daughters in school.”
“My two daughters were victimised and harassed by the headmistress when both were studying in that school in 2014. One was in the 7th standard while other daughter was in the 8th standard. The headmistress started abusing my daughters with bad language and calling them OBC (Other Backward Classes). My wife Geeta had also lodged several complaints and in spite of several orders, no action has been taken against the headmistress,” Busa said.
Recently, the headmistress, who was accused of abusing children in the school, had been discharged by the Children’s Court as the letters referred, including the complaint, did not reveal any date, time and the place of the offence of the child abuse committed.
Busa, however, said that the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on August 26, 2014 in its final order had suggested that the Directorate of Education either initiate disciplinary action against the Headmistress or terminate her services but he claimed that nothing was done in this case and that the family is fighting for justice for the last two years.
“Six parents had also lodged a complaint with Panjim police on March 15, 2014 against the headmistress of the school for alleged mental and physical harassment of students in her school,” he said.
He further said that other orders and departmental enquiries had been conducted but no action has been taken against the headmistress. “I will continue to protest outside the Directorate of Education to get justice. I can even die for justice for my two daughters.”
