In a shocking incident, a lower caste Dalit student of a government school in Jodhpur city Rajasthan was beaten up by his teacher for touching plates being used to serve mid-day meal on Thursday.
Although, India banned caste-based discrimination in 1955, its 170 million Dalits continue to face prejudice in every sector from education to employment, because of their traditional occupations such as street sweeping and grave digging.
The episode happened in Government Higher Secondary School in Osian town of Jodhpur, where mid-day meal was being served.
It also came to fore that separate plates were kept for Dalit students and those belonging to a higher caste, Jats.
Malaram, father of the Dalit student, was also allegedly beaten up when he came to pick up his son from school.
A complaint has been filed against the teacher but police is yet to take any action against him.
Nisha Siddu, a child activist from Jaipur on Saturday expressed concern over the incident of discrimination that happened in a state-run institution, regarding the government-funded mid-day meal scheme, which provides free lunch to school children.
