Delhi Muslim students allege harassment; forced to chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’
New Delhi: A disturbing complaint has surfaced from Muslim students in North Delhi, alleging severe harassment, discrimination, and communal targeting.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the complaint, detailed in a letter by Delhi-based lawyer and education activist Ashok Agarwal, shed light on an alarming pattern of abuse against Muslim and marginalized caste students.
The letter, dated November 13 and addressed to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena, accuses political science teacher Adarsh Sharma and PT teacher Vikash Kumar of forcing Muslim students to chant “Jai Shree Ram,” subjecting them to physical abuse, and provoking them to commit suicide. The students claim they were beaten in the school bathrooms and threatened with the release of compromising videos to ensure their silence.
Students further allege that Muslim and Dalit classmates were segregated to back-benches, while students from dominant castes occupied the front rows. Sharma is also accused of making derogatory comments, claiming lower-caste students were “born to serve the Pandits,” and invoking offensive stereotypes, such as Tulsidas’ infamous slogan, during classroom sessions.
Muslim students reported being subjected to remarks like, “Why don’t all the mullas leave our country?” The complaint also highlights a broader atmosphere of neglect, with claims of frequent teacher absenteeism and mismanagement.
According to Agarwal’s letter, students had previously raised concerns in 2023 when Sharma allegedly replaced the traditional classroom greeting “Namaste” with “Jai Shree Ram.” However, an investigation at the time was reportedly dismissed, with students pressured into silence.
A school management committee member, speaking anonymously, corroborated the students’ claims of inadequate investigations, stating that Muslim students and teachers were coerced into providing statements denying discrimination.
Agarwal has urged the Delhi government to establish a high-level inquiry, citing the failure of previous probes to address systemic issues. He stressed the urgent need for action, saying, “The situation seems to continue unabated despite repeated complaints.”
This incident echoes other recent cases of communal bias in Indian schools. In 2023, Delhi teacher Hema Gulati faced allegations of anti-Muslim remarks, while a viral video in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, captured teacher Tripta Tyagi instructing a student to slap a Muslim peer.
