Belthangady : Students refuse mid-day meal prepared by Dalit cook!

Belthangady : Students refuse mid-day meal prepared by Dalit cook!

Mangalore Today News Network

Belthangady, Feb 8, 2013  : In a shocking incident reported from Surya in Belthangady on February 7 Thursday, several students of the Surya Government Lower Primary School refused to  consume the  mid-day meals on the pretext that it was prepared by a Dalit woman.

If the school had two cooks to prepare mid-day meals, one of them had quit as she was elected a Gram Panchayat members. A new staff named Sumitra was appointed and she had reported to duty on Thursday and had prepared the mid-day meal.

 

But, parents  who decided that their children should not consume food prepared by a Dalit woman, took their children home for lunch. Of the 41 students of the school only eight had mid-day meals in the school on Thursday.

Shocked by the attitude of the parents, the school management  informed the Education Department. Even the arrival of BEO Lokesh and Belthangady SI Yogish Kumar did not help in solving the problem.

Several leaders including Dalit leader Shekhar L, ZP Member Shailesh Kumar have condemned the incident and said there should be no discrimination on the basis of caste or creed in as school which is a temple of knowledge.

Various progressive organisations have  even warned of severe protest.
Belthangady police have said no complaint has been lodged.