Church-run school in Madhya Pradesh facing closure

(Sept. 07, 2011) A Church-run school in Ujjain diocese in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh is facing closure after it was declared illegal by a local court. The court ruling follows a complaint filed in 2009 alleging the Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School, in the village of Kamed-Chak, was built illegally on land meant for the “Simhastha Fair” - Hindu religious gathering.The court ruling states that if the school is not gone within 15 days, then it will be demolished and that the school management will be responsible for the loss. School authorities said they only found out about the ruling through local media reports on Monday.
The Congregation of Mother of Carmel (CMC), Bhopal province, established the school in 1997. Former village head, Rukma Bai, filed the complaint alleging that the school was constructed without obtaining required clearance from the relevant authority. Church officials have rejected the allegation, saying they have not flouted any rules. “The school was established after obtaining permission from all the necessary parties,” Fr. Joseph Maprakavil, the diocesan public relations officer, said on Wednesday. He said that they will decide on their future course of action when they get a copy of the court’s decision. Rakesh Jain, a local businessman, said the affair is a conspiracy against the Church. If the school was constructed illegally, the authorities should have taken action at the time, he added. Ujjain is considered one of the 12 most important religious sites by Hindus.