A school in Kerala has become the centre of a controversy after it
reportedly stopped a Class 3 student from wearing black clothes during
his Vratham, the period of discipline and prayer before going on the
Sabarimala pilgrimage.
According to the student’s family, the boy was following the traditions
required for Sabarimala, which include wearing black. They said the school
should have allowed him to continue his religious practice.
However, Sree Gokulam Public School in Thrissur said it did nothing wrong.
The school explained that it has a very strict rule about uniforms, and
students must wear only the approved school uniform while on campus. School
authorities also said that this rule is clearly told to parents at the
time of admission, so everyone is aware of it beforehand.
The incident has sparked debate among parents and on social media, with
some supporting the family’s religious concerns and others saying that
uniform rules should be the same for all students.