Over a month after a distressing video emerged depicting a toddler being slapped by classmates at a school in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzzaffarnagar, the Supreme Court of India has strongly criticized Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh government, labeling the incident a ‘failure on the part of the state.’
A Supreme Court judge stated, “The state must take responsibility for the education of the child. If the allegations are true, this should shock the conscience of the state,” as reported by Live Law.
The case was under the jurisdiction of a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal. The bench directed the Uttar Pradesh government to appoint a senior IPS officer to conduct an investigation into the case, describing the incident as “serious.”
The incident involved a Class 2 student from Neha Public School in Uttar Pradesh, who was subjected to an hour-long slapping ordeal by his classmates on the instructions of the school’s principal, Tripta Tyagi. The reason cited for the punishment was the child’s failure to study his multiplication tables.
The viral video of the incident showed the young boy standing in tears while the school principal urged students to beat him, making reference to his Muslim identity.
In her defense, the school’s principal, Tripta Tyagi, claimed that the video had been manipulated to incite tension.
Omission of Communal Targeting
The Supreme Court highlighted several shortcomings in the investigation of the incident. It noted that the First Information Report (FIR) registered had omitted the communal angle, despite the father of the child explicitly mentioning it, as evidenced by the video.
“We have a serious objection to the manner in which the FIR is registered,” Justice Oka remarked. The judge also questioned the absence of a transcript of the video in the FIR.
Shoddy Probe by UP Government
The Supreme Court further criticized the Yogi Adityanath government for its inadequate investigation of the matter. It expressed dissatisfaction with the police’s handling of the case, particularly in light of the fact that a non-cognizable report had been registered despite the commission of a cognizable offense. The court directed the state government to appoint a senior IPS-level officer to conduct an investigation within one week.
Right to Education and Counselling
The Supreme Court instructed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide a report on the implementation of the Right to Education Act (RTE) in the state. Additionally, it emphasized the need for proper counseling for the victim child and the other students involved in the incident.
The bench ordered the state government to conduct counseling for the victim and the other students by professional counselors.
The court found prima facie evidence of the Uttar Pradesh government’s failure to comply with the provisions of the RTE Act, which mandates the provision of quality, free, and compulsory education to children up to 14 years old without discrimination based on caste, creed, or gender.
The Supreme Court had issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government, requiring its response by September 25. The matter is scheduled for further consideration on October 30.
