Families of nine Muslim students have accused a guest teacher at a government school in Badnagar, Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district, of making an Islamophobic remark in the classroom. The families have demanded her removal and disciplinary action.
The allegation concerns Priyanka Upadhyay, a guest teacher at Sandipani Vidyalaya, who was reportedly teaching a Class 9 class on October 7.
According to the students’ families, the teacher asked nine Muslim students their names individually before allegedly telling them, “You are terrorists, go to Pakistan,” Clarion reported.
The students later informed their families about the alleged incident. Their families said the remarks had hurt the children’s religious sentiments and raised concerns about their emotional well-being, safety and communal harmony in the town.
Parents Submit Memorandum to Officials
On October 14, a group of parents and community representatives, accompanied by the town’s qazi, met Badnagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Dhirendra Parashar and submitted a memorandum seeking the teacher’s immediate removal and strict action against her.
The parents said such alleged remarks in an educational institution could cause emotional harm to children and undermine social harmony. They also called for steps to ensure the students’ safety.
Education Department Asked to Investigate
Parashar confirmed that members of the Muslim community had submitted a memorandum regarding the matter.
He said he had directed the Block Education Officer (BEO) to investigate the allegations, citing the seriousness of the complaint. Further action would be considered after the officer submitted a report.
The allegations against the teacher have not yet been established, and the outcome of the investigation is awaited
