A Delhi schoolteacher has been charged after four students accused her of making divisive statements in class, questioning why their families hadn’t relocated to Pakistan during the Partition. This incident follows the uproar over a viral video from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, where students were seen assaulting a fellow Muslim classmate under the direction of their teacher, Tripta Tyagi, who also made communal remarks in the video.
The Delhi Police have initiated legal proceedings against Hema Gulati, an instructor at Government Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Gandhi Nagar. This action came after the families of ninth-grade students lodged complaints. The police are currently investigating the allegations.
According to one student’s complaint, Hema Gulati made the divisive remarks on a Wednesday. She made derogatory comments about the Kaaba, the sacred stone structure in Mecca, and the Quran. The complaint reported the teacher saying, “During the Partition, you chose not to go to Pakistan; you remained in India. You had no role in India’s struggle for independence.” The complaint was officially filed on Friday evening.
The families of the students have voiced concerns that such comments could disrupt harmony within the school and have called for the teacher’s dismissal.
A parent with two children attending the school expressed, “If this teacher faces no consequences, it will embolden others. They should be instructed to focus solely on teaching and avoid discussing topics they lack expertise in. A teacher who fosters divisions among students is of no use. We insist that the teacher be removed from the school and not be allowed to teach in any school.”
Local legislator and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Anil Kumar Bajpai criticized the teacher’s actions, stating, “This is entirely unacceptable. A teacher’s duty is to provide quality education to the children. Teachers should refrain from making derogatory comments about any religion or sacred place. Such individuals should be apprehended,” as per sources.
These allegations against the Delhi teacher coincide with the backlash against Tripta Tyagi for subjecting a Muslim student to the distressing ordeal of being slapped by fellow classmates. The 60-year-old teacher has admitted her error but emphasized that she harbored no communal intentions. Legal action has been taken against her, and the student’s family has called for strict measures. The traumatized student has been transferred to another school.
