Days after a controversy erupted over the sacking of a Dalit woman as a cook from a Champawat school, following protest by parents of “upper caste” students who refused to eat food prepared by her, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday ordered an inquiry in the incident.
Dhami told deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Kumaon, Nilesh Anand Bharne, to go to the village and probe the matter personally, according to a government statement.
The 32-year-old Sunita Devi joined as bhojanmata in a government inter college (GIC), Sukhidhang, in Champawat district on December 13. Secondary schools in several Indian states are referred to as inter colleges.
Some 40 pupils of Class 6 to 8, of the total 66 pupils, belonging to the upper caste refused to eat the midday meals cooked by her and started bringing tiffin. The boycott sparked an inquiry and on Wednesday, the district authorities scrapped Devi’s appointment, saying norms were not followed while giving her the job.
Parents of the upper caste children backed the boycott and alleged that Devi was chosen as the cook by overlooking a more deserving candidate, Pushpa Bhatt, a Brahmin. On Wednesday, they welcomed Devi’s removal and said the issue had been resolved.
“We received 11 applications for a bhojanmata post. She was selected for the post on December 5... When the row of boycotting midday meals erupted, our senior officers held an inquiry and cancelled her appointment on December 21, saying due process was not followed,” said Prem Singh, principal, GIC, Sukhidhang.
{{/usCountry}}“We received 11 applications for a bhojanmata post. She was selected for the post on December 5... When the row of boycotting midday meals erupted, our senior officers held an inquiry and cancelled her appointment on December 21, saying due process was not followed,” said Prem Singh, principal, GIC, Sukhidhang.
{{/usCountry}}Asked what the due process was, he said the school did not take permission for her appointment from the district education officer.
After her removal, Sunita Devi approached the revenue officer (tehsildar) in Tanakpur and the police outpost in Chalthi, and handed over a complaint alleging harassment by the parents of upper caste students, and termed her removal caste discrimination. Police are yet to register a case on her complaint. “I will apply again for the post when it is advertised in the future. I will try to get my job back and that will be a befitting reply to those who have harassed and insulted me,” she told HT.
Sunita and her husband Prem Ram are labourers who earn their living by working in fields of other persons, mostly upper castes.
Sunita has two sons — Neeraj, 13 and Paras, 10, who study in class 8 and 6, respectively, in the same college where she was appointed as bhojanmata. She manages her home on the widow pension of her mother-in-law Rukmani Devi. “...I was very happy with my new job as bhojanmata, thinking this will help my family’s financial income and we will see good days. But I was removed from the post within a week due to controversy created by supporters of an upper caste woman who had also applied for this post,” said Sunita Devi.
Narendra Joshi, a villager and president of the parent teacher association, GIC, however, denied any discrimination.
“In first meeting which was held on November 25 to select bhojanmata, Pushpa Bhatt was selected but in next meeting, held on December 5 Sunita was appointed... Our stand was only if Bhatt was selected then in next meeting why she was sidelined...,” said Joshi.
Dalit rights activists described the incident as the worst form of discrimination. “She was removed because she was a Dalit and upper caste people had opposed her appointment,” Govind Baudh, president, Bhim Army, Kumoan.