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Row over heading the Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) of 155-year-old Avvaiyar Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Dharmapuri, between the two groups in the ruling AIADMK, has left 11 teachers in lurch.

Industrialist and AIADMK supporter P. Baskar and party’s Dharmapuri Town Secretary, P. Gurunathan, both claim to be the chairperson of the PTA.

The present strength of the school is 4,326 including English Medium from VI to XII.

The school was adopted by a leading industrialist and educationist P. Baskar in the year 2000 to look after the needs of the school in all respects. In this connection, he had entered into an agreement with the government since then. He was also holding the post of PTA Chairman, as he had adopted and helped many underprivileged children in and around Dharmapuri, said C. Thangavelu, a Post Graduate Assistant handling History subject.

Mr. Baskar, an ardent supporter of the ruling AIADMK was elected as the PTA Chairman on September 9, 2011 as per the government orders in the presence of three public representatives P. Dillibabu of Harur Constituency, A. Baskar of Dharmapuri constituency and N. Nanjappan of Pennagaram constituency. The PTA meeting was attended by over 300 parents, the teachers said. The governing team of PTA under the chairmanship of Mr. Baskar has several ruling partymen and academicians, he claims.

But, all of a sudden P. Gurunathan, Dharmapuri Town Secretary of AIADMK on January 17 along with the Municipal Chairperson J. Sumathy and over 50 supporters gate-crashed into the school complex in over fifteen cars. He went to the Head Master’s cabin, and later to all classrooms in search of the head master.

He was allegedly asking the whereabouts of the HM in abusive language. He waited for the head master in his office, claiming that he was elected as chairman of PTA. He had with him a piece of paper given by the former headmaster D.R. Muniyan to back his claim. This was rejected by the present headmaster C. Rajasekharan, saying that it was not a valid one and he had no information from Chief Educational Officer.

Teachers also allege that the former headmaster Muniyan, now working in Government Higher Secondary School, Matlampatti had not conducted PTA meeting on August 29, 2012, because mid-term examination were being conducted at that time.

Fearing over frequent visits by politicians and usage of unparliamentary words on them, as many as 11 teachers signed a petition and submitted to the Headmaster to take appropriate measure to give protection to them on January 19. A copy of the petition was sent to the Secretary, School Education Department, Director of School Education and the District Collector.

When contacted, Mr. Rajasekaran requested not precipitate the issue further, as he had apprised the situation to the CEO. K.P. Maheshwari, CEO (in charge) told The Hindu that a detailed report on the PTA problem was sent to the Director of School Education four days ago and waiting for the instructions for further action.