Sabarkantha: In a shocking case of discrimination, students of a government school in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat have rejected the government’s mid day meal scheme because the utensils used are washed by Bhavanaben Makwana, a dalit woman.
“I joined this school looking for a job. But since I have joined, students have stopped coming for meals. Only children from my community come,” Bhavanben said.
Ramanbai Patel, the village sarpanch said that parents of the upper caste had protested over a harijan woman working at the school.
Following the boycott, Bhavanaben stayed away from the school for a while, but after the intervention of the district authorities, she resumed her duties.
“Bhavanaben would not attend work because she felt that the children didn’t turn up due to her caste. But we intervened and now she has returned to work,” R J Thakkar, RDC, Sabarkantha district said.
What is ironic is that such an incident has taken place in a school, an institution where one would expect authorities to inculcate values of equality and do away with such social discrimination.