Slapping by classmates: Counselling workshops being held at Muzaffarnagar school for students, UP tells SC
Noting the submission, the bench also comprising Justices Ujjal Bhuyan asked the state to file a status report on the implementation of its directions when it takes up the matter next.
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After a video of the incident went viral, Gandhi filed the plea before the SC in September last year.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it had started counselling workshops for students who allegedly were encouraged by their teacher in a Muzaffarnagar school to slap their classmate.
Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad told a two-judge bench presided by Justice A S Oka that the workshops were being held by an organisation recommended by experts and that it will continue till April 24.
Noting the submission, the bench also comprising Justices Ujjal Bhuyan asked the state to file a status report on the implementation of its directions when it takes up the matter next.
The court was hearing a petition by activist Tushar Gandhi, seeking a probe into the August 2023 incident in which the students were allegedly asked by their class teacher to slap a 7-year-old Muslim boy for not completing his homework. The teacher allegedly referred to the boy’s faith and talked pejoratively about “Mohammedan children” as she asked other students to slap him “hard”.
After a video of the incident went viral, Gandhi filed the plea before the SC in September last year.
Subsequently, the UP Police booked the teacher under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code. The district authorities also sealed the private school located at Khubbapur village.
The court then appointed Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to provide counselling to the children involved and also to extend assistance of expert child counsellors. In December 2023, the SC asked the state government to inform how it proposed to implement the TISS recommendations.
On the last date of hearing, the bench had expressed displeasure over the delay in providing counselling to the children involved in the incident.
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