– Radiance News Service
Tipu Nagar, Shivamogga: In a deeply troubling incident that has ignited public outrage, a case of Islamophobia has come to light in Karnataka, one week after a similar incident rocked a school in Muzaffarnagar of Uttar Pradesh. The latest incident involves Manjula Devi, a teacher at a government school here. She stands accused of making offensive remarks to two young Muslim students.
According to reports, Mrs. Devi allegedly told the innocent fifth-grade students to “Go to Pakistan,” a statement that has sent shockwaves across the country and the community. The incident was not taken lightly as the students immediately shared their traumatic experience with their parents. Distraught by the teacher’s remarks, the concerned parents wasted no time in reporting the incident to local leaders.
As a result of their actions, A Nazrullah, a prominent JD(S) leader, took swift action by registering a formal complaint against Manjula Devi for her alleged Islamophobic remarks. In his complaint, Nazrullah detailed the disturbing incident, accusing Mrs. Devi of scolding the two young Muslim students with the offensive statement, “India is not your country. This is a country of Hindus. You should go to Pakistan.”
The Karnataka Department of School Education and Literacy has responded promptly to this distressing incident. They have taken immediate action by transferring the accused teacher and initiating a departmental inquiry against her for allegedly making offensive remarks to the two Muslim students. However, the accused teacher has vehemently denied the allegations made against her.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of students from diverse backgrounds in educational institutions. It highlights the importance of fostering an inclusive environment in schools to ensure the emotional and psychological security of all students.
According to The Indian Express, Parameshwarappa CR, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (Shivamogga), responded to the incident stating, “We received the complaint on Thursday. Action was initiated against the teacher based on a preliminary inquiry by the block education officer.”
Parameshwarappa also noted, “During the initial probe, the teacher denied the allegation, stating that she was disciplining the students as they were unruly in class and not showing her the respect she deserves.” This incident has now sparked a broader conversation about the need for better teacher-student relationships, as well as cultural sensitivity and awareness training for educators.
