Ranjit Mahanti
THE senior citizen and also the trustee members of many schools, Shankar Vasant Parab’s quest for truth ended with a rude shock last week, when the principal at the Society for the Education of the Crippled (child and adult) in Agripada told him that she will file mental harassment case against him after reading his RTI questionnaire.
62-year-old Shankar Vasant Parab is a resident of Kurla (West). He is the trustee member of Shivaji School and Eden Garden School, Kurla. He is also a member of Sainiki Samiti of a state government body.
“There are lots of irregularities in school. School never follows rules and regulations set by the government. Few school members complained to me about it and I tried to expose these through RTI. I am much shocked to see the reply of the school. Principal has replied in a very irresponsible manner,” said Parab.
On February 2, 2015 Parab filed a RTI application (copy available with ABI) in Agripada based school Society for the Education of the Crippled (child and adult) seeking information from the school.
On February 4, 2015 School’s principal Surekha Chafe replied (copy available with ABI) that although he (Parab) is a member of Sainiki Samiti but he has never seen her or met her. He is a responsible Indian but is making false allegations on her. It is the matter of pride to be a member of Sainiki Samiti but someone is misguiding him. He defamed her through his RTI application.
Chafe demanded proof of allegations made against her. She threatened him saying that if he fails to produce proof within four days, she will file mental harassment case on Parab.
“Chafe’s behaviour is irresponsible. She has violated Section 21 of The Right To Information Act, 2005. Section 21 of RTI act says that protection of action taken in good faith.—No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or any rule made there under,” said Samir Zaveri, noted RTI activist.
“Surekha Chafe is very notorious. She took advantage of being a woman. She always threatens staff that she will file atrocity and molestation case against them. Fearing this no one dares to go against Chafe,” said a school staff on condition of anonymity.
After repeated attempts Surekha Chafe was not available for comment. She disconnected her phone after she heard the word ABI.
80 lakh school teachers in india are exploited and harassed everyday by asking them to work in home for additional 5 hours correcting note books after doing school duty of 8 hours. The school work is to be done at home for free.
Even I am a teacher we are paid so less and we get insulted by the higher authorities to do extra work every day rules are charged and stay backs are been made to do and we are not even paid for it there should be some one who can listen to us and we don’t even get sick leaves …. I am really sad to say that I coose a wrong currier for my self