The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government on a plea by activist Tushar Gandhi for a time-bound investigation into a video that allegedly shows a Muzaffarnagar school teacher goading her students to slap their seven-year-old Muslim classmate, accompanied by communal remarks.
A Bench headed by Justice A.S. Oka also sought a status report from the police on the current investigation.
The court scheduled the next hearing on September 15.
Mr. Gandhi has urged the court to formulate guidelines for preventive and remedial measures within school systems in relation to violence committed against children, including students belonging to religious minorities.
“Corporal punishment has become rampant in the Indian education system. The appalling and ghastly episode is preceded by a series of instances of violence against students belonging to marginalised communities,” the petition said.
The plea said violence in schools has an insidious effect even on students who witness it, creating an atmosphere of fear, anxiety, intolerance, and polarisation.
