NEW DELHI: A Muslim teacher in India was forced into a humiliating public apology after asking young pupils not to display religious symbols in class — an incident that has sparked outrage and raised concerns over growing intolerance under Hindu nationalist rule.
The incident took place at Sandipani School in Khargone, a city in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
Shahrukh Pathan, a guest teacher for second-grade students, told children not to wear tilak — a Hindu religious mark on the forehead — or kalawa, the sacred red thread tied around the wrist. According to colleagues, his aim was to encourage equality among classmates and minimize religious distinctions in the classroom.
‘He was not stopping the children with any wrong intent. He only wanted them to understand equality and respect for all,’ one staff member explained. However, the move provoked anger from Hindu extremist groups. Members of the Hindutva outfit Sakal Hindu Samaj entered the school, created chaos, and demanded Pathan’s public humiliation.
A viral video shows the teacher being forced to hold his ears and perform repeated squats — a degrading punishment commonly used in Indian schools — while Hindu nationalist slogans echoed around him. Witnesses also reported that he was compelled to issue a written apology under pressure.
Civil rights advocates argue the incident highlights the hypocrisy of Hindutva groups and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In recent years, the BJP has enforced hijab bans in schools and universities, claiming such measures uphold secularism and uniformity. Yet when a Muslim teacher asked Hindu students to refrain from religious markers on similar grounds, he was vilified and humiliated.
Analysts say this selective enforcement of so-called “secularism” illustrates how India’s education system has become another arena for Hindutva ideology — restricting Muslim practices while protecting Hindu rituals as cultural traditions.
International rights organizations have repeatedly warned that such double standards erode minority rights and weaken India’s secular fabric.
