Muslim students beaten after stripping, forced to chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’ in Delhi school

A wave of allegations has emerged from students of the government-run Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya (SBV) in Nand Nagri, North Delhi, where Muslim and Dalit students have reported discrimination by teachers, with Muslim students allegedly being beaten after being stripped, forced to recite “Jai Shree Ram,” and provoked to commit suicide.

According to The Wire report, lawyer and education activist Ashok Agarwal brought the incident to public attention, filing a complaint against the teachers on behalf of the students with Delhi’s lieutenant governor, the director of Delhi’s education department, and other officials, including Marlena.

The complaint alleges that students have been subjected to repeated incidents of abuse, including physical assaults, coercion, and psychological intimidation. Two teachers—Adarsh Sharma, a political science instructor, and Vikash Kumar, a physical education teacher—have been named as the primary perpetrators.

The students accused them of forcing Muslim students to chant “Jai Shree Ram,” stripping them in school bathrooms, and threatening to disseminate defamatory videos to silence them. The harassment reportedly extended to derogatory remarks against their religious and caste identities, fostering a hostile learning environment.

Further allegations detail systemic discrimination, such as segregating students based on caste and religion. Muslim and Dalit students were reportedly made to sit at the back of classrooms, while those from dominant castes occupied front-row seats. Such practices, the students contend, perpetuated a sense of exclusion and inferiority among them.

The complaint also highlights an incident from 2023, where students had previously attempted to raise concerns. However, their efforts were allegedly dismissed by school authorities, and they were coerced into retracting their statements.

A teacher accused of harassment reportedly asserted his influence within the teachers' union, claiming immunity from disciplinary action. This assertion further discouraged students from pursuing their complaints, leaving them vulnerable to continued mistreatment.

Adding to the grievances, students criticised the frequent absence of teachers during scheduled classes, particularly in the evenings. This lack of academic support, combined with the abusive environment, has left many feeling abandoned and demoralised. They have demanded either the removal of the accused teachers or the transfer of affected students to other schools, stating that the current environment is untenable.

Agarwal’s letter, addressed to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena, calls for an independent inquiry headed by senior education department officials. He emphasised that previous complaints to the education directorate had yielded no results.

A member of the school’s management committee, speaking anonymously, expressed concern over the plight of the students. With approximately half of the school’s 2,500 students coming from Muslim backgrounds, many belong to economically disadvantaged families.

Transferring to private schools is not a viable option for most, leaving them reliant on the government school system. The committee member underscored the urgency of addressing these allegations, suggesting at the very least a change in classroom assignments to protect the affected students.

The allegations against SBV echo broader concerns about communal bias in educational institutions. Similar incidents have been reported elsewhere, including a recent controversy in western Uttar Pradesh, where a teacher was filmed instructing students to hit a Muslim classmate. Critics argue that such incidents reflect a troubling normalisation of discriminatory attitudes in schools, undermining the principles of inclusivity and equality.