A trained graduate teacher from a West Delhi government school has been suspended by the Directorate of Education (DoE) following a controversy over a video he shared on a WhatsApp group. The teacher, Sant Ram, had expressed strong disapproval in the clip regarding the alleged deployment of teachers for duties linked to managing stray dogs on school campuses.
The Viral Video and Immediate Fallout
In the video posted earlier this week, Sant Ram, a Hindi teacher posted at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Subhash Nagar, voiced his concerns. He stated that assigning teachers to maintain records related to stray dogs was inappropriate. "Whenever the nation has needed us… whether during an emergency or during the COVID-19 pandemic… we have served. But I never imagined that teachers in Delhi would be used for such tasks," he is heard saying in the clip.
He further argued that with exams approaching, such tasks did not align with the dignity of the teaching profession. The video was a response to reports and a directive from the Deputy Director of Education (North West) concerning the role of teachers in managing stray dogs at government schools.
Suspension and the Broader Controversy
On December 31, the DoE's Vigilance Branch issued a suspension order against Sant Ram. The order invokes Rule 10(1) of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, stating that a disciplinary proceeding is contemplated against him. The order did not specify the exact charges.
This action unfolded against the backdrop of a significant row over a DoE directive issued on December 5. The directive instructed educational institutions, including government and private schools, to nominate a nodal officer to address issues related to stray dogs, a move made in compliance with Supreme Court directions on campus safety.
Following the circular, speculation spread that teachers would be deployed to count stray dogs. In response, the DoE issued a press note on December 29, clarifying that no specific duties had been assigned to teachers and countering what it called misinformation in sections of the media.
Legal Action and Political Sparring
The controversy escalated further when the Delhi Police's Cyber Cell registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by the DoE. The complaint targeted an alleged "false, misleading, and malicious" post claiming that teachers would count stray dogs.
The issue quickly turned political, with the ruling BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trading accusations. AAP leaders, including Saurabh Bharadwaj, accused the Delhi government of targeting a teacher for speaking out. Conversely, the government accused AAP of politicising a safety-related directive.
Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, at a press conference on Friday, emphasised the government's decision to act against a deliberate campaign of misinformation. He reiterated that the circular contained no instruction to count dogs and that nodal officers were appointed solely for campus safety and coordination.
What the Actual Directive Said
The circular in question, dated December 16 from the MCD's Keshav Puram Zone Education department, outlined several safety measures. It instructed school heads to:
- Nominate a nodal officer.
- Ensure school gates remain closed during working hours.
- Prevent the entry of stray dogs through guards and chowkidars.
- Conduct awareness sessions on animal behaviour and first aid.
- Maintain records of related activities and incidents.
The government clarified that the responsibility for physically preventing dog entry lies with security staff, while nodal officers are meant to oversee compliance and report incidents.
Meanwhile, the teachers' community has distanced itself from the suspended teacher's actions. A source from a body representing government school teachers stated that the issue had been politicised and that a government servant should not be involved in taking political sides or spreading misinformation.
Sant Ram, speaking to The Indian Express, maintained that he did not intend to take a political stance but wanted to spread information about what he perceived as an undue task for educators.
