Agartala: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists demonstrated at Sakhaibari Holy Cross Convent School in Dharmanagar, North Tripura, on Thursday, demanding permission to organise Saraswati Puja on the school premises.The VHP said over 70% of the school’s students are Hindus and want to celebrate the puja. The school authorities, citing regulations of the Holy Cross institution, denied the request, prompting police deployment to maintain order.The school administration called a meeting of guardians and suspended classes for the day. During the meeting, tensions rose as some guardians backed the demand and gheraoed the principal. VHP activists later joined them.The issue has drawn criticism from Hindu organisations.VHP leader Pratap Ranjan Deb said their intention was not to create religious divisions but to respect the beliefs of the school’s Hindu-majority students.The school administration maintained that institutional policy prohibits religious events on campus. Talks held on Jan 16 failed to resolve the matter.On Wednesday, members of the VHP’s North District Committee visited the school and submitted a letter to the principal seeking written clarification and permission for Saraswati Puja. The VHP alleged the school did not acknowledge receipt of the letter, leading to a heated exchange between VHP members and a female teacher.Dharmanagar PS officer-in-charge Mina Debbarma said no untoward incident had occurred. Attempts to contact school authorities were unsuccessful.
