Amid the controversy surrounding a recent student-slapping incident, Tripta Tyagi, a school teacher in Uttar Pradesh, clarified that there was no communal angle to her actions. A video of the teacher urging fellow students to slap a Class 2 boy had gone viral, raising concerns. The boy, a Muslim child, was allegedly being punished for not completing his homework. Tyagi insisted that the video, which was shot by the student’s uncle, did not capture the incident in its entirety.
In a video message, Tyagi acknowledged that she had made a mistake but emphasized that her actions were not motivated by any Hindu-Muslim or communal divide. She explained that her intention was to ensure that the students memorized their lessons. Due to her physical condition, she was unable to stand up and reach the student who had not done his assignment. As a result, she asked some of the other children to gently slap him a couple of times to encourage him to start studying.
Tyagi’s clarification came in response to growing concerns and backlash over the incident. A case was registered against her under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) based on a complaint by the boy’s family.
It’s important to note that the incident has sparked public debate and raised questions about the appropriate disciplinary measures that should be taken by educators. The teacher’s clarification attempts to address the concerns surrounding the incident and provide context to her actions.
