UP Teacher Claims Threat to Her Life After Shaheen Bagh Visit

Saharanpur teacher has claimed right-winger supporters in her town protested against her visit to Shaheen Bagh

Protesters at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh.

(Photo: Twitter/@surekhapillai) 

A teacher in Saharanpur on Tuesday, 11 February, claimed threat to her life after nearly 200 local residents entered the school campus and protested against her visit to Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi.

Nahid Zaidi, 40, who teaches English and Social Sciences at Asha Modern School, told PTI she was also suspended from the school after she visited Shaheen Bagh on 19 January and answered a few questions of the media there.

“The video found its way to some people from local right-wing groups who put it on Facebook with derogatory remarks about me,” Zaidi said.

While the school principal did not respond to calls for a comment, Saharanpur Superintendent of Police Vineet Bhatnagar said the teacher was not suspended.

Bhatnagar said a group of people protested against Zaidi's comments on Shaheen Bagh, but the situation is peaceful now.

Zaidi said she lives alone and fears a threat to her life.

“My parents are no more. I have no siblings. I am in shock and fearing for my life. I have written to the police in this regard,” she said.

Zaidi said she did not speak about any particular religion and was being “targeted by the right-wing groups at the behest of the local BJP leadership”.

On Monday, 10 February, around 200 local residents entered the school during recess and raised slogans, she claimed.

“Under their pressure, the principal put me under suspension and asked me to resign. Later, in the evening, the suspension was revoked after police and local leaders intervened,” 

Nahid Zaidi, Teacher