BJP president forms panel to probe Thanjavur girl’s death

TRICHY: BJP national president J P Nadda on Thursday constituted a four-member committee to probe the suicide of M Lavanya, 17 of Thanjavur and submit a report to him.
Lavanya, a Class XII student at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Michaelpatti near Thirukkattupalli, died on January 19 while undergoing treatment in Thanjavur Medical College Hospital after she consumed an insecticide on January 9 due to mental agony over harassments by her hostel warden, Sagayamari, who allegedly forced her to clean rooms.
BJP national general secretary Arun Singh issued a circular stating that the party expressed deep concern and sorrow on the suicide of the girl “due to harassment and coercion to get converted by the school management in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.”
The committee comprises four women - MP Sandhya Ray from Madhya Pradesh, Vijayashanti from Andhra Pradesh, Chita Tai Wagh from Maharashtra and Geetha Vivekananda from Karnataka.
The committee has been asked to visit the place and submit a report to Nadda at the earliest.
BJP state president K Annamalai tweeted the letter expressing gratitude to Nadda for constituting a four-member team to give #JusticeForLavanya.
Annamalai also stated that "BJP will stand with the innocent departed soul despite the fact the ruling DMK govt is trying everything possible to scuttle the probe."
The issue has seen several twists with the BJP and Hindu outfits linking it to the religious conversion by releasing a video of Lavanya mentioning the attempt by a nun to convert her to Christianity from Hinduism two years ago. Her father also raked up the religious conversion theory after her death. CPM and CPI criticised the BJP for politicising the issue by blowing the allegation of religious conversion out of proportion. They accused the BJP of disturbing the peace of Tamil Nadu.
On Tuesday, superior general Sister Fatima Paula of Franciscan Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary Congregation in Puducherry, which administers the Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, rubbished the allegation of religious conversion.