A Catholic diocese has approached the top court of a central Indian state over a government order asking two of its schools to reimburse close 180 million rupees (some US$2.2 million) after accusing them of collecting exorbitant fees from students. The Jabalpur diocese in Madhya Pradesh approached the State High Court on July 16 “seeking a direction to quash the order from the [Jabalpur] district education officer,” said Father Davis George, diocesan vicar-general. The order is untenable and there is “no truth in it,” Father George told. The priest denied the Madhya Pradesh state education department’s claim that two diocesan schools, named after St. Aloysius, collected exorbitant student fees. The Catholic schools were told to reimburse nearly US$2.2 million after the management was accused of overcharging students in the past six years. The July 9 order named 10 private schools including four run by the Church of North India (CNI). The Protestant-run schools were also told to repay close to US$2.1 million. Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tribal people in India. Christian schools are the most sought-after in Jabalpur, known as the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh. This is the first time Christians are being told to reimburse the fees collected from students. The CNI’s Jabalpur diocese is also contemplating filing an appeal in court. “We are in consultation with lawyers,” said a CNI member who did not want to be named. The state is ruled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP is against missionary activities that benefit the tribal people and other poor sections of society, said a Church official. “We are targeted for providing quality education at an affordable rate,” he told on July 16.