A
Hindu organisation has slammed a KwaZulu-Natal north coast school for
allowing a motivational speaker to hand out Christian material to
pupils.

Vishwa Shakti received complaints from angry Hindu
parents and pupils of Tongaat Secondary School over the distribution of
the New Testament.

It is understood that the school invited the speaker, who
belongs to a Christian-based organisation, to address pupils on the
importance of good values.

After the talk, pupils were invited to take copies of the New Testament.

Vishwa Shakti’s Kamal Maharaj said the Schools Act prohibited the promotion of religious indoctrination.

“We have received complaints from pupils who were upset
because it was more a propaganda programme than an academic one,” said
Maharaj.

“We expect some form of damage control to be done in the
form of an apology to the children. This is a violation of human rights
— psychological violence.

“When you try to promote a particular view among children who are impressionable, it’s just not fair.”

A parent who refused to named for fear of reprisal said he was “furious”.

“These are impressionable minds. Even if a child takes it
out of curiosity to read, a child can become influenced by what he or
she reads,” said the parent.

“If you wish to impart this kind of knowledge to children, it must be done with parents’ permission, because they are minors.

“We have no problem with anybody promoting their
religion, but you can’t do so with children who are under the
protection of adults. I think parents’ permission is vital in these
instances.”

Principal Soobramoney Raman said pupils could choose whether or not to take a Bible.

“Those who did not want the Bibles left the assembly area. It was never foisted on them,” said Raman.

“I get politicians and people with leadership skills to come and motivate my pupils and get them on the right track.

“Even people from Hindu organisations are free to hand out religious material. I don’t have any objections.”

He said no indoctrination was involved. “In fact, all this is educational. Everything was done in a transparent manner.

“I do have Christians here in the majority, but we don’t
have a Christian ethos. The minorities here have never been
marginalised. I have my doubts that they would have been influenced in
any way.”

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