‘Go to Pakistan’: Kerala school owner insults students who missed Independence Day celebrations

Thrissur (Kerala): A school owner has courted controversy by allegedly branding students who missed Independence Day celebrations as anti-national.

Dr Raju Davis, owner of the Dr Raju Davis International School in Mala here, sparked outrage after allegedly stating that those who remained at home ought to go to Pakistan. He further threatened that students who failed to attend on Independence Day would be barred from entering their classrooms.

The message was posted by the school owner in a WhatsApp group that included parents. It had previously been communicated that attendance at the Independence Day celebrations was compulsory; however, those unable to attend due to various reasons were subsequently framed as traitors.

As the incident provoked widespread criticism, the school owner reportedly issued another message. “I said that those who did not come to school should go to Pakistan, not to Arab countries or Bangladesh. Pakistan is an enemy nation of India. No one needs to lecture me on my patriotism or secularism," he claimed in his second message.

Parents have questioned how children could be deemed unpatriotic simply for being unable to attend school on Independence Day.