Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD) is horrified at the ongoing harvest out of the sick seeds sown by Hindutva’s hate brigade. In the latest instance of barbarism on display, a viral video shows Tripta Tyagi, a principal-cum-teacher at the Neha Public School in Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh making blatantly anti-Muslim remarks and ordering students in her class to slap a 7-year-old Muslim classmate because he had not done his homework.
In the deeply disturbing video the boy stands helplessly, tears streaming down his face. Loud slaps are heard as one after another the students follow their teacher’s instruction. “Why don’t you hit harder? Whose turn is it?” she says in the wrenching video. Loud slaps are heard as the students follow their teacher’s instruction. According to the boy’s father the torture went on for an hour or two and his young son is in a shock.
“Maine toh declare kar diya, jitne bhi Mohammedan bachche hain, inke wahan chale jao (I have declared — all these Muslim children, go to anyone’s area)….” said Tyagi. She has since declared that she is “not ashamed” of what she did. It’s important to “control” the kids at school… this is how we tackle them” she told NDTV.
No words are strong enough to condemn the shocking misconduct of Tyagi who has scarred a 7-year-old for life, not to mention the instilling of Muslim hatred in the hearts of his classmates. A case has now been registered against her and the school has been shut down by the education department.
IMSD demands a speedy trial and exemplary punishment to the teacher who teaches hate. But incarceration of Tyagi is not enough. The shameful incident is but the latest reminder of the success of Hindutva’s hate-mongers in turning India into a sick society.
Less than a month ago, following a heated exchange, railway cop Chetan Singh shot dead his senior ASI Tikaram Meena in a running train, the Jaipur Mumbai Central Superfast Express. He then proceeded to demonstrate his hatred of Muslims by hounding and gunning down three innocent Muslim passengers: Abdul Kadar Mohamed Hussain Bhanpurawala, Akhtar Abbas Ali and Sadar Mohammed Hussain.
In a chilling video that went viral shows Singh fulminating: “Pakistan se operate hue hain, tumhari media, yahi media coverage dikha rahi hai hai, pata chal raha hai unko, sab pata chal raha hai, inke aaqa hai wahan… Agar vote dena hai, agar Hindustan me rehna hai, toh mai kehta hoon, Modi aur Yogi, ye do hain, aur aapke Thackeray.”
(‘They operate from Pakistan, this is what the media of the country is showing, they have found out, they know everything, their leaders are there… If you want to vote, if you want to live in India, then I say, Modi and Yogi, these are the two, and your Thackeray’)
The same day (July 31) Nuh district in Haryana was engulfed in communal violence leading to the loss of several lives and extensive damage to property. The trigger for the clash was reported to be some objectionable videos posted on social media by a Bajrang Dal. Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante booked earlier for the murder of two Muslim men whose charred bodies were found in the Bhiwani district in February, had announced he would be participating in the religious procession. The BJP-led Haryana government says it is unable to find Monu Manesar.
Soon after the incidents, Gurugram MP and Union Minister of State (Independent charge) Rao Inderjit Singh had questioned how many in the VHP-organised event were permitted to carry arms. “Kisne hathiyar diye unko is procession mein le jaane ke liye? Koi talwar leke jata hai procession mein? Lathi-dande leke jata hai (Who gave weapons to them for the procession? Who goes to a procession carrying swords, or sticks)? This is wrong,” the BJP minister was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
As shocking as these multiplying instances of hate crimes against Muslims is the silence of the high priests and politicians of Hindutva. Those who proclaim sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka, sabka vishwas, or that “all Indians have the same DNA” say nothing, not a word, to condemn the perpetrators of wanton violence or to comfort the victims and the community in whose name they are targeted.
Meanwhile, IMSD applauds the numerous Hindus and Muslims of Muzaffarnagar who have been working hard to diffuse the situation, ensure peace and mutual amity. This only goes to show that the despite the 24/7 efforts of the hate-mongers the large majority of Indians remain immune to the communal virus.
Signatories:
- J. Jawad, Co-convener IMSD, Advocate, Chennai
- Akbar Shaikh, IMSD, Social activist, farmer, Solapur
- Amir Rizvi, IMSD, Designer, Mumbai
- Anand Patwardhan, IMSD, Documentary Film Maker, Mumbai
- Arif Kapadia, IMSD, Businessman, Mumbra, Thane
- Arshad Alam, Co-convener IMSD, Columnist, Delhi
- Aziz Lokhandwala, IMSD, Businessman, Mumbai
- Feroze Mirhiborwala, Co-convener, IMSD, Mumbai
- Gauhar Raza, ANHAD, Scientist, Poet, Delhi
- Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, Islamic scholar, Delhi
- Irfan Engineer, Co-convener IMSD, CSSS, Mumbai
- Javed Akhtar, IMSD, Poet, Lyricist, former MP, Mumbai
- Javed Anand, Convener IMSD, Mumbai
- Kasim Sait, Businessman, Philanthropist, Chennai
- Khadeeja Farouqui, IMSD, Women’s Rights Activist, Delhi
- Mohammad Imran, USA
- Muniza Khan, IMSD, CJP, Varanasi
- Najid Husain, Oceanographer, USA
- Naseeruddin Shah, Actor, Mumbai
- (Dr) Ram Puniyani, IMSD, CSSS, Author, Mumbai
- Sabah Khan, IMSD, Parcham, Mumbai
- Saif Mahmood, IMSD, Supreme Court Lawyer, Delhi
- Shabana Azmi, Actor, former MP, Mumbai
- Shabana Mashraki, Consultant, Mumbai
- Shabnam Hashmi, ANHAD, Delhi
- Shafaat Khan, IMSD, Writer, Mumbai
- Shalini Dhawan, Designer, Mumbai
- Shama Zaidi, IMSD, Documentary Film Maker, Mumbai
- Simantini Dhuru, Documentary Film Maker, Educationist
- Sultan Shahin, Editor-in-chief, New Age Islam, Delhi
- Taizoon Khorakiwala, Businessman, Philanthropist, Mumbai
- Teesta Setalvad, IMSD, CJP, Mumbai
- Yash Paranjpe, Social Activist, Mumbai
- Yousuf Saeed, IMSD, Documentary Film Maker, Delhi