An investigation is underway by Indian police regarding a video that depicts a school teacher instructing her students to slap their seven-year-old Muslim classmate. In the video, the young boy is visibly distraught as he is allegedly slapped for making errors in his times tables, BBC reports.
The video swiftly gained traction on social media platforms, triggering widespread outrage and condemnation. Rahul Gandhi, an opposition leader in India, pointed fingers at the government, accusing them of fostering religious intolerance.
The incident unfolded at a private school in Uttar Pradesh, a northern state, on August 24. In the video, the teacher's instructions are captured as she urges the children to strike the boy more forcefully and advises them to hit him on the waist rather than the face, noting his reddening complexion.
Indian authorities have verified the authenticity of the video and pledged to take appropriate action. The victim's father reported the incident to police in the Muzaffarnagar district and subsequently withdrew his child from the school, although he chose not to file charges.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns about escalating hate crimes and violence directed at India's sizable Muslim minority since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), headed by Modi, has governed Uttar Pradesh since 2017.
Rahul Gandhi blamed the BJP for exacerbating religious tensions across the nation. In a message posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, he criticized the party for fostering discrimination among innocent children, thereby transforming schools into breeding grounds for animosity. Gandhi likened the BJP's actions to igniting a fire that has consumed various corners of India.
During a visit to the United States in June, Prime Minister Modi asserted to journalists that there was "absolutely no space for discrimination" in India.
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