Uttar Pradesh: TMC leaders ‘strongly condemn’ Muzaffarnagar student ‘slap’ case, demand action

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has strongly criticised the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh over the recent Muzaffarnagar incident, wherein a teacher forced other students to target and slap another student.

TMC leaders expressed their concerns on the party’s official social media platform, demanding strict action against the accused teacher and condemning the incident as reflective of divisive politics.

Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien said, “The UP student case has now got even worse! The UP police have now filed an FIR. But why under weak Sections 505 and 506? They have charged #NehaPublicSchool teacher with ‘mischief’. What’s going on? …PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are managers of hate factories set up across the country.”

Fellow Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev condemned the incident and accused the ruling BJP of promoting hate, saying, “Hate is in the DNA of BJP. We condemn the mistreatment of the student, who was targeted and beaten up owing to his religious identity in Muzaffarnagar. At a time when peaceful co-existence and unity in diversity should be taught in schools, BJP-ruled UP attempts to inject the poison of communalism among the children and youth. SHAMEFUL!”

TMC leaders criticise BJP govt after Muzaffarnagar horror

TMC leader Kirti Azad expressed his dismay and questioned the culture being propagated in UP under the Yogi Adityanath government. “Is this the kind of culture and regressive thoughts practised in your state? It’s a shame to witness how BJP backwardness is being instilled into the minds of children.” We demand strict action against such an inhuman approach,” he said.

Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said, “We strongly condemn the sheer harassment meted out to a student at a school in BJP-led UP’s Muzaffarnagar. Encouraged by a teacher, his fellow classmates thrashed him owing to his religious identity. Even sacred places like educational institutions are not spared from BJP divisive mindset. CM Yogi Adityanath, how long will hatred preside over humanity in your state?”

Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson, criticised the UP government and expressed concern over the incident. “The horrifying video in which a student is being beaten up by fellow students owing to his religious identity in the presence of a teacher, is against the tenets of our constitution,” he said.

Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra said, “Our nation has turned into a hotbed of hate owing to BJP’s divisive politics. Educational institutions in this country are churning out hate rather than learning under BJP.”

Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, TMC veteran leader and MP, condemned the incident as a violation of the constitution’s principles and the idea of secularism. “The horrifying video that has surfaced from BJP-ruled UP’s Muzaffarnagar, in which a student is being beaten up by fellow students owing to his religious identity in the presence of a teacher, is against the tenets of our constitution and the idea of secularism,” he said.

Rajya Sabha MP and TMC National Spokesperson Saket Gokhale criticized the police response to the incident. He questioned the choice of sections under which an FIR was filed and expressed concern over the inadequate legal action taken against the accused teacher.

“I’ve been informed that Muzaffarnagar Police has taken cognizance of the crime of the teacher Tripta Tyagi. But wait – they claim they’ve filed an “FIR” u/s 505 & 506 IPC. Both these sections are ‘non-cognizable’ i.e. police has no power to take ANY action nor to arrest the accused. It’s a simple section of ‘mischief’. Is a teacher encouraging students to assault a fellow Muslim child a mere ‘mischief’? Why are you burying this issue & protecting the teacher, @muzafarnagarpol? Does the teacher have BJP links or have you been ordered by the UP BJP govt to go easy? The incident has brought attention to the broader issue of promoting tolerance and unity in educational institutions and the larger societal context,” he wrote.