NHRC notice to education department on Shahpur ‘stripping’ incident

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the state education department seeking its reply to a complaint about the alleged physical harassment of a six-year-old girl by a teacher at a school in Shahpur, Ahmedabad.

The commission issued the notice while hearing a complaint filed by Shruti Nagvanshi, managing trustee, People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). The NHRC has asked the secretary, department of education, to file a reply on the
complaint within four weeks.

While hearing the case, the commission had observed that it is the responsibility of teachers and the government machinery to provide children and students with the best possible ambience for achieving academic excellence and positive personality development.

If the children are exposed to harassment, their personality development is severely hampered, the commission said, adding that the allegations, if true, amount to serious violation of human rights of the child.

The case concerns the incident at the all-girls, The Islamic School in Shahpur where a six-year-old, hijab-wearing girl, Esha Sheikh (name changed), was allegedly stripped in class, spanked, and paraded naked by her teacher, Zeba Bazi.

She was then made to clean the toilet which was specially soiled for the purpose and later locked in it. She was made to all this as punishment as she had not completed her homework.

Following media reports, the complainant, a social activist, had moved the NHRC alleging that the girl had been threatened that she would again be paraded naked in the school if she complained about the incident.

The commission then issued notices to the education department to file a report within four weeks.

When asked about the commission’s notice, District Education Officer (DEO), Ahmedabad city, RI Patel, said: “I cannot recall the status of the case right now. But I will look into my files and get back to you later.”