Asaduddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen on Saturday reacted sharply to a viral video showing a school teacher in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar asking her students to slap a boy from a minority community and passing objectionable remarks against the community. Owaisi also questioned chief minister Yogi Adityanath for not taking his “bulldozer action”.
Owaisi alleged that the father of the Muslim boy has withdrawn his son from the school and given in writing that he doesn’t want to pursue the matter because he knows he won’t get justice and instead it might vitiate the “atmosphere”.
“Who are these people who will ‘vitiate’ the atmosphere over a father seeking justice for his kid? It is an indictment of @myogiadityanath’s rule that people have no faith in due process. It is more likely that the teacher will get some govt award rather than being punished,” Owaisi wrote on X (formally Twitter).
“Section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act 2015 is clear. Why has @muzafarnagarpol must take action,” the AIMIM chief added.
Alleging that the video from Muzaffarnagar “is a product of the last 9 years”, Owaisi said, “The message being drilled into the minds of little children is that one can beat up & humiliate a Muslim without any repercussions.”
The Lok Sabha MP also questioned the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and National Human Rights Commission of India over the incident.
“@NCPCR_ & @India_NHRC are otherwise quick to take suo motu action but here they have done nothing. Reportedly, NCPCR is more concerned about the video getting viral rather than ensuring justice. @myogiadityanath what happened to bulldozers and ‘thok do’?” he asked.
NCPCR takes cognisance of the clip
To be sure, the NCPCR took cognisance of the clip. “Taking cognizance, instructions are being issued for action, everyone is requested not to share the video of the child… do not become a part of the crime by revealing the identity of the children,” its chairperson Priyank Kanoongo posted on X.
The Uttar Pradesh Police said it has started an inquiry into the disturbing incident. The teacher, identified as Trapti Tyagi, can be seen asking the students of class 2 of a private school in Khubbapur village under Mansurpur police station area to hit the hapless child.
Taking cognizance of the incident, Circle Officer Ravishankar on Friday told reporters, “The viral video was examined, and prima facie, it seems the child was beaten up for not completing his school work. Some objectionable comments can also be heard in the video. We are looking into the matter and further action will be taken.”
Basic Shiksha Adhikari Shubham Shukla said apart from the students, two people are also seen in the video, one of whom is the teacher, while efforts are on to identify the other person.
“Action will be initiated against both the persons and also against the school management,” he said. Asked to comment on the religious identity of the victim child and those who hit him, Shukla said, “As of now, we cannot say it as this is a matter of investigation. Our team will probe this, and the police have also taken cognisance of this case.”
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi react to UP teacher video
Reacting to the incident, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on X, “Sowing the poison of discrimination in the minds of innocent children, turning a holy place like a school into a market place of hatred – there is nothing worse a teacher can do for the country.”
“This is the same kerosene spread by the BJP which has set every corner of India on fire. Children are the future of India – do not hate them, we all have to together teach love,” he added.
Priyanka Gandhi said, “Where there is talk of technology to go to the moon or things that build a boundary wall of hatred. The choice is clear. Hate is the biggest enemy of progress.”
