Ludhiana, September 10
The presentation of the National Teachers’ Award to Mr Om Prakash Arora, Principal of Nauhria Mal Jain School, has turned controversial, with two parents alleging victimisation at the hands of the awardee and demanding immediate withdrawal of the award and instituting of an inquiry against the Principal for furnishing false documents to get the award from the President.
Mr Ram Kumar and Mr Sukhdhir Singh Sekhon claimed at a press conference here today that Mr Arora had submitted false certificates that no case was pending against him in any court of law, they said they had filed cases against Mr Arora.
Mr Ram Kumar said at the time of applying for the award, a civil suit by Mr Sekhon against Mr Arora was pending in court. This meant that Mr Arora, had attached a false certificate, the duo said.
“Mr Arora cheated the Punjab Education Department and the Union Government by submitting a clearance certificate in August 2002, that all cases against him had been settled though a case regarding charging higher fees and compelling students to take tuitions was pending before the president, District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Ludhiana. The next hearing of this case is on November 8,” they said.
Many complaints had been made against Mr Arora regarding copying by students during board examinations when he was the Controller of Examinations, they said. They claimed that Ms Usha Sidhu, District Education Officer, had also furnished such a certificate in favour of Mr Arora and she was also party to this legal suit.
Mr Arora, when contacted, refuted the charges. He said the cases, though baseless, were against the management. An inquiry conducted by the state government had acquitted him, he claimed. He said this case of Mr Ram Kumar was pending in a court and it was not against him.
He said he had not hidden anything and the case had been filed much later after he had applied for the award. Mr Arora claimed that the son of Mr Ram Kumar had not come to school for the past six months. He had been given a school leaving certificate, but still his parents had moved court. He said the school management had presented its viewpoint in the case and it had no bearing on his claim to the award.
