Bengaluru Urban DC supports private schools, abuses us: Parents to CM

Parents have written to the chief minister and the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC), accusing Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner J Manjunath of “favouring” a private school and “abusing” them.

According to the Karnataka State Private School Parents’ Associations’ Coordination Committee, the deputy commissioner supported private schools whenever parents petitioned him. In particular, it has highlighted the “abusive” language used by him after his parents complained to him against a private school in Machohalli, Southwest Bengaluru, over fee-related matters.

The deputy commissioner is the chairman of the District Education Regulatory Authority (DERA).

Three parents had filed a case with DERA over the school charging exorbitant fees and not declaring fee details on the website. They requested DERA to fix the fees as per the Karnataka Education Act.

Parents say DERA delayed adjudicating the matter and called a hearing only on August 5. “To our shock, the DERA chairman took us to task and supported the private school management,” one of the parents said.

According to the letter, the DERA chairman used “abusive language” and “ill-treated” them during the hearing. He even “threatened” a parent that his salary would be cut and asked the parents to pay the fees in full.

“Since we have no hope of getting justice (from DERA), we have approached the human rights commission and now the chief minister. We also demand an inquiry against the deputy commissioner,” he added.

The committee also asked to see the CCTV footage of DERA’s August 5 meeting.

The KSHRC has sent the complaint to the Department of Primary and Secondary Education for further action.

Manjunath could not be reached for comment.

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