My letters - Our take: Keep the caste bias out of the classroom

Caste is seen everywhere, in every part of India. We've all been taught about the various castes that exist in India, as well as the castes that are deemed superior. Various cases of caste-based discrimination against dalit women have occurred in various Indian states. This was a source of worry because the constitution guarantees every individual a dignified existence, yet in many cases, the situation is the polar opposite. To make matters worse, caste prejudice is now invading classrooms and education. Caste bias has now been exaggerated to the point of absurdity. Quite recently, in Uttarakhand's Champawat district, some upper caste students refused to eat the food cooked by Ms. Sunita Devi, a Dalit woman. To exacerbate the situation, the local administration dismissed Ms. Sunita Devi. A few days later, an upper caste woman was appointed as the "Bhojanmata" and was assigned the task to cook the mid-day meal instead. To exact their vengeance, the enraged Dalit youngsters retaliated by refusing to eat the meals prepared by upper caste lady. 

Rather than preaching students about the virtues of oneness, inclusiveness and fostering learning, the classroom had been segregated along the caste lines i.e. of the lower caste and the upper caste. Ms. Devi's dismissal was a huge mistake on the part of the government. Rather than putting this issue under the carpet with the many other cases, it should be brought to the forefront and resolved. Ms. Devi should be reinstated as soon as possible because she meets the conditions of employment and is a responsible member of society, equally deserving of the position. Children (and their parents) from proletariat homes should face severe consequences for beginning such a caste-based boycott in the school premises. It should be ensured that no other Dalit person is ever subjected to such kind of discrimination again and caste should never impair the quality of interactions in the classroom. Robust discrimination laws are undoubtedly enforced but as said earlier, they are far and few and never implemented in the right way, emboldening caste elites to continue all forms of bias. Let's make sure to provide every individual the constitutional promise of a decent life!