Row over 26/11 witness school admission
By IANSTuesday, June 22, 2010
MUMBAI - A Mumbai school under attack for denying admission to a girl who was a key witness in the Mumbai terror attack trial has asked the Maharashtra government to intervene.
The Indian Education Society, which runs the New English School, says it is for the Maharashtra government to test 11-year-old girl Devika Rotawan and decide in which class she needs to be admitted.
“We made the request to the state education department,” said Amol Dhamdhere, honorary secretary of the Indian Education Society.
The child’s father has sought admission of the girl in Class 5 though the girl last attended Class 1, Dhamdhere told IANS.
“Our classes are already full but we salute her and that’s why are ready to give her admission. But it has to be decided to which standard she can be admitted to. She also does not understand English,” he said.
Devika Rotawan had testified against 26/11 convict Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab. Her father Natwarlal has alleged that she is being denied admission in the school because she identified the terrorist.
The school has denied the allegation.
