Fake tweets cause mess as schools, colleges stay open

MUMBAI: Parents panicked following a fake tweet in the name of state education minister Vinod Tawde declaring a holiday for schools on Wednesday. Not that it stopped schools or colleges from functioning. Later, Mr Tawde issued a clarification that the message being circulated in his name was fake.

Meanwhile, students, as a precautionary measure, left for classes early and were happy to find no rush in the trains or on roads due to the bandh called in the city by the Maratha Kranti Morcha.

Rishikesh Kumra, a student of Jhunjhunwala College, Ghatkopar, said, “My lectures start at 8.30 am and I live a bit far from my college. Early in the morning, my parents told me that there might be no trains or autos so I decided to leave an hour earlier. Most of the students were present in class and there was no sign of any morcha in our college.”

Vrunda Mehrotra, a student from Birla College, Kalyan, said, “It did not look like Mahar-ashtra bandh when we were in class but it was abnormally peaceful outside the college.”

Prerna Jain, a student from Mulund who travels to her college at Charni Road every day, said, “For a while, autos were not functioning outside Kalyan station but in some time, the auto stands were again full with rickshaws. Trains, too, were on time.”

Parents were confused by the fake messages on WhatsApp about schools remaining closed. Shubh-ada Gangurde, a homemaker said, “The school bus came regularly and the bus conductor assured us that if the school is not functioning, they will drop students back. However, we got a notification from the school that the school would function normally.”