‘Speedy trial for hate teacher’

The IMSD says boy in UP school was tortured for up to two hours. Representation Pic

The Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD) forum has issued a statement following a viral video about a teacher in UP, egging on students to beat up a Muslim boy. The IMSD - a pan-India body with its headquarters in the city - stated it was "horrified at the ongoing harvest out of the sick seeds sown by Hindutva's hate brigade. In the latest instance of barbarism on display, a viral video shows Tripta Tyagi, a principal-cum-teacher at the Neha Public School in Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh making, blatantly making anti-Muslim remarks and ordering students in her class to slap a 7-year-old Muslim classmate because he had not done his homework."

Citing the video as "deeply disturbing" the IMSD draws attention to the "loud slaps heard as one after another the students follow their teacher's instruction". The IMSD claims that the boy's father said the torture went on for an hour or two and his young son is in shock. The IMSD further pointed out the fact that the teacher ostensibly told a television channel that she is not ashamed of what she had done.

This, the IMSD said, has scarred a Muslim child for life and sown Muslim hatred in the hearts of classmates. The body is demanding a "speedy trial and exemplary punishment for the teacher who teaches hate". "But incarceration of Tyagi is not enough," said Javed Anand, convenor IMSD, and at least 30 signatories to this statement. The IMSD says the larger picture - the Hindutva hate-mongering - has seen Railway cop Chetan Singh shoot dead his senior ASI Tikaram Meena in a running train last month. He then proceeded to demonstrate his hatred of Muslims by hounding and gunning down three innocent Muslim passengers.

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On the same day (July 31), it said, "Nuh district in Haryana was engulfed in communal violence leading to the loss of several lives and extensive damage to property. The trigger for the clash was reported to be some objectionable videos posted on social media by Bajrang Dal. Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante booked earlier for the murder of two Muslim men whose charred bodies were found in the Bhiwani district in February, had announced he would be participating in the religious procession. The BJP-led Haryana government says it is unable to find Monu Manesar." These are multiplying not just multiple instances of hate crimes, amidst, "the silence of the politicians of Hindutva. They say nothing, not a word, to condemn the perpetrators of wanton violence or to comfort the victims and the community in whose name they are targeted."

To conclude, Anand and the IMSD signatories say, if there is some light in this very dark picture, it is, "the numerous Hindus and Muslims of Muzaffarnagar who have been working hard to defuse the situation, ensure peace and mutual amity. This only goes to show that despite the 24/7 efforts of the hate-mongers, the large majority of Indians remain immune to the communal virus." The IMSD's applause is reserved for them.

July 31
Day RPF cop killed senior and three Muslim men on train