After video of dancers performing at govt school in MP's Daita goes viral, principal issues clarification

Without any doubt, a New Year party in a government school has become the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district after the video went viral on social media. Allegedly, the video is of a government middle school in Parasari village, where a group of female dancers can be seen grooving to the music inside the school while a few men are throwing money at them and dancing as well.

Principal Balwan Singh spoke to the media about the programme being permitted by the local panchayat after getting the permission. He mentioned that panchayat secretary Rinku Yadav and sarpanch Neelam Parihar were the individuals who, in their opinion, had given the go, ahead for the event.

The principal, narrating the incident, said the gathering was a cultural programme that was organised after school hours and was a part of the New Year celebrations.

The visuals of the event have stirred up an angry mob and have made people ask a very serious question of whether the decision was right to hold such an event in an educational institution.

"The reports from the media suggest that the event occurred during the New Year's holiday, on campus, after school was over. Once uploaded to the internet, the video exploded into the public consciousness creating an uproar from both the education department and from the local administrative agency."

Questions flooded in as to how a government school could be turned into a venue for such events when it was primarily meant for imparting education and discipline. The district authorities have not taken this lightly and have responded promptly. DPC Rajesh Shukla expressed that the video came to his notice and thus, a written explanation from the school principal has been solicited. He also emphasised that any programme held within the school should be carried out strictly in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down.

An investigation is in progress to ascertain who had authorised the holding of the programme and whether the circumstances of the consent, if any, have been breached.

The management is continuing with its probe. They will make a move if they find any illegal activities.

It has become the subject of a local debate concerning the use of school premises for non educational purposes and the responsibility of officials.