UP govt school teacher suspended over FB post on Pahalgam attack

A primary government school teacher in Uttar Pradesh has been suspended for sharing her views on Facebook with regards to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Zeba Afroz, an assistant teacher at the primary school in Maloghat village of Sonbhadra district, had posted, “The loyalists of the country have always been Muslims, traitors have always been Sanghis,” on Facebook, The Observer Post reported.

Although Afroz deleted her post, right-wing handlers shared the screenshot of her status and circulated it in various WhatsApp groups.

Soon after, the basic education officer quickly ordered Aforz’s suspension, alleging that her statement was communal, provocative and “a teacher must maintain peace and neutrality.”

One of her colleagues, on condition of anonymity, described Afroz as a compassionate individual. “We’ve never seen her behave in a way that would warrant this kind of treatment,” her colleague was quoted by The Observer Post.

Afroz has been teaching for the last 12 years with a spotless record. According to her family, the suspension has left her shattered. She is struggling to come to terms with how standing up for her community’s dignity resulted in such severe professional consequences.