After temple row, Dalit students denied admission in UP govt school

Even as controversy over Dalits being denied entry into a Meerut temple is yet to die down, yet another caste discrimination case was reported from the same district of Uttar Pradesh when two Dalit students were denied admission in a government primary school.

The incident was reported from Panchchali Patti village in Mawana area of Meerut. Jagjeevan Ram, a dalit by caste, alleged that his two sons Kautuk (6) and Gaurav (7) were denied admission in Government Primary School in the village when his wife Poonam Sheeshpal went to the school.

“My wife met the Principal Raheesuddin for the admissions of our two sons in Class 1. But the Principal showed her the doors after getting to know her caste. The Principal said that they don’t give admissions to low castes as they may spoil the school atmosphere,” charged Jagjeevan Ram.

Significantly, the government primary school is dominated by minority with majority of the students, Principal and teachers belonged to the Muslim community.  After Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013, it was perhaps first case in Uttar Pradesh in recent times in which a dalit family was discriminated by a Muslim.

The incident became public when a video went viral on social showing the Principal holding arguments with dalit’s wife Poonam while denying admission to Jagjeevan’s sons and asking her to get out of his office.

Agitated Dalits of the village gheraoed the Principal and demanded an explanation and apology. Interestingly, the Bajrang Dal also jumped into the controversy, perhaps to give air to the Dalit-Muslim disunity. They created ruckus into school campus and roughed up Principal and teachers.

“Dalits are our brethren and part of the Hindu society. It is not a case of caste discrimination but discrimination based on religion. The kids were denied admission since they were not Muslims,” charged Jai Singh Saini, General Secretary Bajrang Dal, Meerut.

Principal Raheesuddin, on the hand, denied charges of discrimination and misbehaviour with the Dalit lady. “I had only asked her to show Aadhar card for address proof and date of birth certificates to complete admission formalties. The lady could not produce any documents. Her sons will be given admission once she brings the relevant documents,” clarified the Principal, defending his decision to deny admissions to dalit students.  

The SSP Meerut Rajesh Kumar Pandey said that no complaint has been lodged by the parents in this connection. Dhyan Chandra, the Additional Basic Shiksha Adhikari, said that “we will probe the incident and initiate action if parents submitted any written complaint about denial of admission on caste basis.”

Earlier, members of Valimiki Samaj (Dalits) were denied entry into a Hindu temple in Panchgaon Patti village in Meerut district by the Priest. Agitated over the incident, they held a massive demonstration at the SSP office forcing the police to ensure their entry into the temple for offering prayers. The temple of the Priest fled the village after the protest by members of Valmiki Samaj.

In Raath area of Hamirpur, a Hindu temple was purified with ‘Gangajal’ when a Dalit BJP MLA Manisha Anuragi entered the temple. Deities of the temple were sent to Prayag (Allahabad) for purification with Sangam water and they were re-installed after a religious ceremony amid chanting of mantras.