493 schools under scanner over 'religious intolerance' claims

Kolkata: The state government has initiated an enquiry against 493 schools for allegedly propagating religious intolerance. State Education minister Partha Chatterjee said steps will be taken if the allegations are found to be true. The issue has cropped up in the state Assembly on Tuesday.

Chatterjee stated that information has been gathered in this connection and it was found that 125 schools in the state are running without any no-objection certificate, mainly in North Bengal districts. The schools running without having any "clearance" from the state government, include 6 in Alipurduar, 10 in Cooch Behar, 80 in South Dinajpur, 1 in Howrah, 6 in Jalpaiguri, 1 in Murshidabad, 2 in Nadia, 5 in Siliguri, 1 in South 24-Parganas and 13 in North Dinajpur.

"If needed, we would move to the Supreme Court in this connection, to check propagation of religious intolerance in educational institutions," the Education minister said, adding that the schools are not meant to instigate religious intolerance and stated "we will not allow it to happen".

"It is not about any particular religion. Steps would be taken against anyone who instigates religious intolerance," he said.