The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government to find a sponsor to cover the educational expenses of the Muslim child from Muzaffarnagar who was slapped by his classmates, allegedly at their teacher’s behest
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih emphasized that the State must ensure the child continues in the same school.
“The child’s education expenses should be taken care of until the end of his schooling. You have to get a sponsor and ensure he continues in the same school,” the Court stated.
The state government has been given two weeks to file a compliance affidavit.
The Court was hearing a plea filed by Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, seeking action against a school teacher named Tripta Tyagi for allegedly inciting students to slap a Muslim student. Tyagi is said to have made derogatory remarks about the Muslim student’s religion and instigated classmates to beat him, as seen in a viral video.
The incident caused public outrage after the video spread on social media. The school where the incident occurred was subsequently sealed. The teacher later released a video denying any communal intent but acknowledged her mistake.
Tushar Gandhi’s plea sought a time-bound, independent probe into the matter and measures to address violence against religious minority students.
In October 2023, the Uttar Pradesh government informed the Supreme Court that the teacher might face charges under Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
In February this year, the Supreme Court strongly criticized the Uttar Pradesh government for its inadequate response, particularly its failure to provide counseling to the children allegedly made to slap their classmate. The Court had previously taken issue with how the Uttar Pradesh Police omitted key allegations in the initial first information report (FIR) filed in the case.
