Any Teacher Should Not Discriminate Between Students Based On Religion: NCPCR Chief On Sambhal Incident

Shaista was arrested for allegedly forcing a Muslim student to slap a Hindu student over a wrong answer.

NCPCR Chief Priyank Kanoongo (File Photo)

In a recent incident that sent shockwaves through Uttar Pradesh, a school teacher named Shaista was arrested in the wake of allegations that she had compelled a Muslim boy to slap his classmate who had failed to answer a question correctly. This shocking incident, which occurred on a regular Thursday, was seen as inciting communal hatred. The teacher was arrested based on the complaint of the father of a Class V student. Priyank Kanoongo, the Chief of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) weighed in on the matter. He expressed deep concern and emphasized that no child, regardless of their community, should ever have to experience such discrimination in an educational setting. He stressed that teachers should treat all students equally, irrespective of their religious backgrounds.

"It should not happen with any child from any community. Any teacher should not discriminate between students based on religion and a secular environment should be maintained in schools, this is our priority. We have sent a notice to the DM and SP. We have asked the SP to register FIR with the appropriate sections and give a copy to us. We have asked the DM to inspect whether the school has recognition, what the qualifications of the teachers are and whether they are trained or not. We think that these teachers are untrained, unskilled and unprofessional... It is important that teachers are sensitised and trained. Such unprofessional teachers should be removed from this noble profession," said Priyank Kanoongo.

In his complaint, the boy’s father has stated that the move has also hurt his son’s religious feelings. An investigation into the matter is underway, and the accused teacher has been arrested.

Earlier, In a similar incident, a teacher at a private school in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh instructed Hindu students in her class to slap a Muslim student who had failed to complete his homework. The teacher at the center of this controversy, Tripta Tyagi has been charged under IPC sections 323 (for voluntarily causing harm) and 504 (for intentionally insulting with the intent to provoke a breach of the peace).