Caste Hindu parents oppose Dalit cooking food for their children in a Govt school in TN

A Dalit cook, who was recently transferred to a government school in Tamil Nadu’s western district of Tirupur, was shunted to another school following a protest by a section of student’s caste Hindu parents.

Paapal, a Dalit, was transferred to Government High School in her native Thirumalai Goundanpalayam village near Avinashi in Tirupur district in Western Tamil Nadu and joined work on July 17. Earlier, she worked in a school at an Adi Dravidar Colony (Dalit Colony) at Occhampalaiyam which is 16 km away from her village, for 12 years.

When she joined work on Tuesday, a section parents belonging to dominant caste opposed “a Dalit cooking food” for their children under the nutritious meal scheme in the school and prevented her from preparing food as well. C Nandagopal, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front affiliated to CPI(M) said that the dominant community parents also took their children away and also tried to lock the school. They also complained to the school headmistress who in-turn informed the Block Development Officer at Avinashi. On July 18, 42-year-old Paapal was transferred back to the school at Dalit colony by the BDO buckling under the protest by the dominant caste parents.

However, Tirupur Sub Collector Swarankumar revoked the transfer order after a protest and road roko held by 16 organisations including CPI (M), DMK, CPI and Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam. He also said that protection would be given to Paapal and also directed Sevur police to file an FIR on her complaint against the parents.

Paapal said that she got the transfer to her village school as she was travelling 16 km and also walking six km daily for the school at Occhampalaiyam. “I wanted to cook for my village students. I was happy when I got the posting in my village itself. But some people are wanted me to be transferred out this school in the name of caste. I am also human,” she said.

Nandagopal said that it was not the first time Paapal was transferred from a school following the protest by Caste Hindus. In fact, Paapal’s first posting was at Thirumalai Goundanpalayam Government school in 2006 but was transferred to a school at Kantayipalaiyam following protest. After being transferred to three schools in the first month of her job, she joined the school at Dalit colony and worked there for 12 years.

CPI (M) State secretary K Balakrishnan and CPI state secretary R Mutharasan sought action to be taken against the school principal and the BDO for transferring the Paapal in support of the caste Hindu parents.

Madurai-based Dalit activist A Kathir said that Dalit cooks working in the government schools and Anganwadi centres across the state were facing various forms of discrimination. He, however, said that the government had never acted against the dominant caste people who are creating troubles to the Dalit cooks. “Where do they get the brutish idea to say that they would not eat food cooked by a Dalit woman? How do they think that eating the food cooked by Dalit make their child inferior?” he said urging the government to take strong action against the dominant caste people.