Caste Hindu kids avoid noon meal cooked by Dalit

Forty-two year old Pappaal, who was reinstated in the same school at Thirumalai Goundanpalayam following protests by various political parties, was more than happy to cook food to children of her native village. However, the fracas over her appointment deepened further as families of caste Hindus forced their children to ‘shun’ the meals cooked by her.

Of the total 75 students, 29 did not come to school on Friday. Caste Hindu parents of students have before sought leave to their children if food cooked by Pappaal is served for the noon meal.

No arrests had been made so far in the case under SC/ST Act that has been booked against 88 persons and a search is on for 13 persons, who were behind the discrimination fracas. Police was deployed in front of the school on Friday.

Meanwhile, CPM cadre led by Tirupur district secretary S Muthukannan petitioned the district officials on Friday demanding action against school authorities, BDO and officials of the education department for shunting out the Dalit cook to another school by buckling to the pressure from the caste Hindus. They also alleged that the school has so far been adopting double tumbler system. “Departmental action should be initiated against education department officials for deepening the caste divide among the students,” said Muthukannan.

Trouble arose on July 17, when the Dalit woman got posted at the school in her native Thirumalai Goundanpalayam village near Avinashi. She was earlier working for over 12 years in a school located in a Dalit colony, almost 16 km away from her native village. After protests by caste Hindu parents, Pappaal was shifted back to her previous school within a day. However, her transfer order was revoked after intervention by various political parties. She had faced the ordeal in many schools earlier over caste reasons.