Beltangady: Happy ending to controversy over caste discrimination in mid-day meal
Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (SP)
Beltangady, Feb 9: The controversy created by the refusal of Surya government lower primary school students to consume mid-day meal prepared by the assistant cook belonging to lower caste, ended on a happy note on Friday February 8, with the parents of the students agreeing to allow their children to share the food.
Accordingly, the students of the school sat together and consumed the food prepared by the same cooking assistant.
District social welfare officer, Arun Furtado, Akshara Dasoha scheme district nodal officer, Manjuna, taluk panchayat executive officer, Kusumakumari, block education officer, Lokesh, and police officials visited the school in the morning itself, and encouraged the assistant cook not to lose heart by the previous day’s incident, and prepare food for the mid-day meal programme without any apprehension.
They also invited the parents of the students for a dialogue. Initially the parents said their objection was at the appointment of an assistant cook without informing them, and not because of the caste to which she belongs.
Later, on the advice of the officials not to differentiate people on the basis of caste, creed and religion, they relented and allowed their children to have lunch at the school.
Image for display purpose only