The Communist Party of India (Marxist) polit bureau member Subhashini Ali and Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas on August 30 Wednesday visited the family of the Muslim boy who was slapped by his classmates following instructions by their teacher in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district. The CPI(M) delegation had a long interaction with family and their neighbours.
In an interview to TNM, John Brittas said that CPI(M) has offered to sponsor the education of the boy and his elder brother. “The CPI(M) has offered to sponsor the education of both the children. They were very happy about it. Earlier the Kerala government offered that if the child wants to study in Kerala, they will sponsor him. But now they have found a new school, which is eight kilometers away from their house. They showed us the brochures of the school, so we said if they are comfortable they can choose that.”
The school has asked them to wait for a week for the admission, until the situation normalises, the MP disclosed.
“The family is very poor. The boy’s elder brother who is 16 years old has dropped his studies because of financial constraints. He is working in Chandigarh,” the MP said. He also added that the family knew about Kerala and how the state offered them solidarity.
Recalling the interaction with the family, Brittas said, “We gave a gift to the child. We were taken inside the house and had a long conversation with the family members. The boy’s father told us that if the video had not surfaced they would have thought the boy was reluctant to go to school because he did not want to study.”
In the shocking incident which emerged recently on social media, a teacher identified as Tripta Tyagi teaching at Neha Public School in Khubbapur village, using communal slurs, instructed her students to take turns in beating the victim.
Tyagi was booked by the police after the video went viral, provoking outrage.
“The parent of the child told us they went to meet the teacher twice at the school. But she was adamant and she stood by what she did. So only because of legal complications she has apologised,”John Brittas said. He also added that the child was very active and talkative, but now he is in a trauma and has become silent.
“We have passed on all contacts, so that they can call us if any help is needed. Whenever they can approach us we will offer all support,” MP added.
The CPI (M) in an official statement said, "Subhashini Ali and John Brittas were informed that the school's license has been canceled. They have demanded the arrest of the teacher and said that the UP government seemed to be implementing laws in a biased manner which was extremely unfortunate.¨