August 26, New Delhi: The Chairman of the Markazi Taleemi Board (MTB), Prof Salim Engineer condemned the child slapping incident in a school in Khubbapur, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and demanded strict action by the authorities against the school and the accused. In a statement to the media, the MTB Chairman said, “We are highly disturbed and condemn the incident of child slapping in the Neha Public School, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. Looking at the video that is being widely circulated in social media and from credible media reports, it appears that a teacher sitting in a classroom makes the students slap a Muslim boy on his face and back, one by one. From the video one can make out that the accused passes some racial slurs against other Muslim students and threatens them with similar treatment. According to a prominent news portal, the boy’s father is under pressure not to pursue the police complaint against the school teacher. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked social media platforms to stop the circulation of the video.”

Prof Salim Engineer said, “The Markazi Taleemi Board (MTB) demands strict action against the school and the teacher. NCPCR should initiate an inquiry and make its findings public. The rights of the child have been violated and NCPCR must act swiftly and decisively. Unfortunately, the climate of hate prevailing in the country is not sparing even young school children from its ire. Islamophobia is fast spreading in schools and college campuses and should be addressed officially by the government by recognizing it as a social evil and drafting appropriate laws to end its menace. The police, NCPCR, and the courts must take suo moto cognizance of such a grave violation of child rights by pursuing the case against the school and teacher. The victim deserves justice and adequate compensation for the ordeal he had to suffer. An inquiry should be set up to check if the school was adhering to all the required standards and norms of the concerned State School Board as it is reported that the school was being run in a private residential building. MTB feels that the license of the school should be revoked if the quantum of violation warranties such action.”