A Muslim guest teacher in the Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh was publicly shamed after he advised students not to wear tilak in class.
Shahrukh Pathan teaches Class 2 students. He reportedly asked a few Hindu students to refrain from wearing a tilak on their foreheads or kalawa (Hindu religious thread worn on the wrists).
This angered their parents, who, along with members of a Hindutva organisation, Sakal Hindu Samaj, besieged the school shouting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans.
The Muslim teacher was humiliated after they demanded he do sit-ups. “This is very wrong. Children from all communities come here to study. This act insults religious sentiments and tries to distance children from their traditions,” one Hindutva worker thunders at Pathan.
This action was caught on camera, which was later posted on social media, sparking outrage.
However, according to the school staff, Pathan did that with the sole intention of promoting equality and harmony between students of different faiths.
“Shahrukh sir was not stopping the children with any wrong intent. He only wanted them to understand equality and respect for all,” said one teacher.
Pathan submitted a written apology.
The incident has led to widespread criticism on social media, where many netizens calling it an act of harassment against a Muslim teacher. Supporters of Pathan said his actions aimed to promote unity and social harmony, not target any religion.
“Teachers should be allowed to do their jobs without fear,” said an education rights activist. “Making a teacher apologise in such a degrading manner is wrong and sets a bad example for students.”
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