On 25th August, a disturbing case of religious bias in education surfaced in Etah district, Uttar Pradesh. A young Hindu student was beaten by his teacher, Shakir Hussain, at ACC Convent School for writing “Jai Shri Ram” on the first page of his notebook. The teacher reportedly tore the notebook and physically assaulted the child.
The boy confided in his parents after returning home. Shocked and angered, his family confronted the school the next day, joined by local villagers. Soon, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu organisations extended their support, highlighting a pattern of harassment by the accused.
Police acted promptly. An FIR was filed against Shakir Hussain under sections 323, 504, and 506 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act. He was arrested, and an investigation has been initiated into both his conduct and the school’s management.
Parents and activists allege this was not the first such case at the school. They claim Shakir had earlier marked “Jai Shri Ram” in notebooks with red ink, warning children against using it, and had routinely harassed Hindu students for referencing their faith.
When Schools Become Tools of Bias
Education is among the most sacred duties in society. Teachers hold the power to shape a child’s worldview—instilling values of right and wrong, giving them the courage to think, and nurturing their cultural roots. In this case, however, the teacher appears to have used that position of trust to instill fear, hostility, and shame.
Had the victim belonged to another faith, this incident would likely have become national news overnight, sparking outrage and official interventions. But because the boy was Hindu, the assault was at risk of being brushed aside as “discipline.” It is only due to the courage of the child to speak up and the determination of his parents that the truth emerged.
A Disturbing Pattern
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Hindu students have been targeted within educational institutions.
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Chhattisgarh, 2025: At Mother Teresa English Medium School in Durg district, Principal Ila Evan Colvin allegedly beat a three-year-old nursery student for greeting her with “Radhe Radhe.” Shockingly, she even taped the child’s mouth shut to prevent her from repeating the phrase. She was later arrested.
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Kamal Haasan’s Call: Just earlier this month, actor-politician Kamal Haasan declared that education should be used as a “weapon to break Sanatan Dharma.” Such statements reinforce the fear that schools and classrooms may be co-opted into ideological battlegrounds, where young Hindu minds are subtly shaped against their own faith.
These incidents reveal a troubling thread: a sustained effort to restrict the free expression of Hindu identity within educational spaces, whether through violence, intimidation, or rhetoric cloaked as “progressivism.”
The Larger Civilizational Threat
The danger here is not merely physical abuse; it is indoctrination. A teacher carries immense authority in the eyes of a child. If that authority is misused to belittle Hindu beliefs, the harm extends beyond one student; it erodes confidence in one’s culture across an entire generation.
History is full of warnings about how infiltration and subversion can weaken a civilisation. Just as the Trojan Horse was used to destroy Troy from within, today’s extremists understand that education can be the most effective battlefield. Unlike overt attacks, indoctrination is subtle and often invisible until the damage is too deep.
The Way Forward
Hindu parents and communities must remain vigilant about what is taught to their children, and by whom. Schools must not become arenas of prejudice or hidden conversion agendas. Standards for teachers must be strict, ensuring that personal religious biases do not interfere with their duty to impart knowledge fairly.
The concern here is deception, when individuals hide their identities or use positions of trust to infiltrate and weaken Hindu institutions.
The courage of the Etah student’s family, backed by local organisations, shows the way forward. Parents must stand firmly behind their children, ensure such abuses are reported, and demand accountability.
Final Thoughts
The assault in Etah is not a minor schoolyard incident; it is a civilisational alarm. When children are punished for writing “Jai Shri Ram” or greeting “Radhe Radhe”, it signals a deliberate hostility to Hindu identity.
Bharat’s classrooms must remain places of learning, not arenas for prejudice. If Hindus fail to recognise and resist these patterns today, the cost will be borne by future generations, raised to see their faith not with pride, but with shame.
Education must liberate, not enslave.
