Discrimination Against Dalit Students at Amethi Govt School, Principal Suspended

Dalit students at the Uttar Pradesh school are made to sit in a separate line from others during the mid-day meal. Image used for representational purposes only.

(Photo: iStockphoto)

An instance of caste discrimination in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi village has recently come to light. A complaint was filed at the Sangrampur police station against the headmaster of the Vanpurwa Primary School on Tuesday, 28 September, accusing the teacher of discriminating against Dalit students.

The complaint against the school's unjust practices was lodged by a Dalit family from Gaderi village, Quint Hindi reported. The Dalit family was accompanied by the village head, Vinay Jaiswal.

As per the complaint, Dalit children studying at the school are made to sit in a separate line from other children during the mid-day meal that is provided at the institution.

The complaint notes that when the students protest against the unfair treatment, the teachers of the school beat the children as punishment.

"A teacher named Kusum Soni beats my children because he belongs to the lower caste. During mid-day meals, she makes separate queues for upper castes and Dalits. I belong to the Dalit community," said Jeev Narayan, the parent of a student who studies in the school, news agency ANI reported.

Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) of Amethi Dr Arvind Kumar Pathak has indicated that the accused, Principal Kusum Soni, had been suspended once the matter came to light.

The district magistrate of Amethi had issued instructions for the registration of an FIR against the headmistress. A probe had been ordered into the matter, and will be undertaken by the block education officer of Gauriganj.