On July 24th, a Muslim student in Class 10 at Gaucher Agriculture Inter College in Rampur Maniharan, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, encountered discrimination when he declined to shave his beard.
Kazim, a student belonging to the Muslim community, was allegedly singled out by a science teacher who called him aside during class and demanded that he shave his beard. The teacher warned Kazim that if he did not comply, he should refrain from attending school altogether. Fearing further repercussions, the young student stopped going to school without informing his family, leading to several days of absence.
Following the distressing revelation, Kazim’s father, Samaryab, took immediate action and reported the incident to Jamiat Ulema Hind, a prominent Islamic organization. In response, a delegation led by Jamiat executive member Maulana Shamshir Qasmi met with the school principal to lodge a formal complaint against the teacher’s discriminatory behaviour.
The discriminatory treatment of Muslim students, particularly girls who face opposition for wearing hijabs and now boys being targeted for keeping beards, raises serious questions about the protection of fundamental rights in an inclusive society.
