SC slams UP govt for failing to give counselling to Muslim boy in school slapping case
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Muzaffarnagar: The Supreme Court stated on Friday that it was startling that the Uttar Pradesh government had disregarded its directive to offer therapy to the Muslim kid and his classmates, who had been told to slap him by their teacher in the Muzaffarnagar district.
The seven-year-old boy's classmates were told to strike him on August 24 by Tripta Tyagi, the teacher and owner of Neha Public School in Khubapur village, because he had not finished his homework.
After the seven-year-old child failed to turn in his homework on August 24, Tripta Tyagi, the teacher and owner of Neha Public School in Khubapur village, told his classmates to beat him, Scroll.in
“Why are you hitting him so lightly?” the teacher can be heard asking one child in a video of the incident as the Muslim boy stands crying. “Hit him harder.”
She tells another student: “Hit him on the back.”
The police have since issued a booking for the teacher. However since the allegations in the initial information report are non-cognizable, a warrant is required before the accused can be taken into custody by the police. A court's approval is also required before the police can begin an investigation.
Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, has filed a public interest litigation with the court, requesting a prompt investigation into the matter.
A division bench consisting of Justices AS Oka and Pankaj Mithal had ordered the state to offer counselling services to the Muslim student and his fellow students on September 25. Additionally, it asked the Bharatiya Janata Party government to transfer the boy to a new school.
But on Friday, lawyer Shadan Farasat, speaking on behalf of Gandhi, informed the court that the state administration was treating the order casually.
“To say the least, the approach of the state as regards the counselling facility to the victim and the other children involved in the incident is shocking,” the bench said on Friday. “We therefore appoint Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, to suggest the mode and manner of extending counselling to the child and other children.”
The court said that the Tata Institute of Social Sciences would also recommend child counsellors in Uttar Pradesh who are qualified to provide counselling services. The state government has been instructed to give the institute all necessary infrastructure support and assistance, and by December 11th, to produce a report.
In order to prevent the court from taking strong action, the bench also ordered the principal secretary of the state department of education to attend the upcoming hearing. The Supreme Court ordered the state government to enrol the child in a different school in addition to providing counselling.