New Delhi

The Principal of a Uttar Pradesh school who is facing condemnation for asking students to slap their Muslim classmate, regrets her action but says that it was in the interest of discipline.

Defending her indefensible action, Tripta Tyagi who heads Neha Public School in Khubbapur village in Muzaffarnagar said that it was not her intention to create friction between Hindus and Muslims. She alleged that the video has been edited to misrepresent what happened. “ The father of this Class I student had come to the school on Thursday and asked her to discipline him. I am physically challenged. I am not able to get up from my chair to hit him. So, I thought of asking his class mates to do so. In any case, children cannot hit that hard. The child had not finished assignment related to tables for two months. The whole idea was to get his classmates to coax him to finish his homework and memorize the tables.’’

Tripta agreed that she had told all students that the Muslim mothers should not take their children to their uncles house as the examination is not far away. The video has been made by Nadeem who is the uncle of the aggrieved student “ In our village, Hindus and Muslims live together and support one another. I accept my mistake and regret what happened as the issue has been blown out of proportion. This is not in the interest of the students.’’

The teacher said that if good politicians start tweeting about such incidents, it will be difficult for teachers to carry on with school work normally. “ I want to tell politicians that this was a minor issue related to a child. If they start tweeting so much about such a minor issue, how will a teacher carry on teaching and how will a student be able to learn.’’

Tripta Tyagi also claimed that she has had an agreement with the family of the aggrieved student. I have returned the school fee and admission fee as the family did not want the student to continue studying in the school.’’

After the video went viral on social media, netizens demanded the arrest of the teacher and a ban on thr school. Some even wanted the school to be razed to the ground with a bulldozer.

The Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate, Aravind Mallapa Bangari, said that an enquiry was conducted and a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the teacher.

Tripta Tyagi has been booked by Muzzaffarnagar police on Saturday. She has been booked for a non-cognizable offence under sections 504 (punishment for insulting someone), and 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken cogmizance of the matter and initiated an inquiry.

The NCPCR has also directed the SSP to submit an action taken report within a week.

Meanwhilwe, authorioties in the education department were quoted by the media s saying that a show cause notice has been served to the management. The school has been asked to respond by August 28 as to why its government recognition not be cancelled.