Patna, Aug. 13: A Dalit woman, Lali Devi, today succeeded in her protracted battle to cook mid-day meal in a Bihar school and fed over 80 “upper caste” Brahmin students in presence of senior officials.
The practice of “untouchablily” prevailing even after 60 years of Independence in states across India is no matter of joy.
Fact remains that it was none other than the school committee secretary, Umashankar Tiwary, who prevented Lali Devi from preparing meals for schoolchildren of a government primary school in Brahmin- dominated Pipri of Rohtas district, 170km from here, a month ago.
Tiwary’s “henchmen” also broke the school “chulha” (hearth) and took away her utensils on the ground that “the food prepared and served by an untouchable woman would pollute the hearts and minds of Brahmin children.”
“The secretary had vetoed against consumption of meals prepared by me in school,” Lali told The Telegraph.
Lali had been engaged as a cook for the mid-day meal scheme, which the Nitish Kumar government began in all the government primary and middle-schools in May last year.
According to Lali, Tiwary, an influential villager, went to the extent of preventing parents from sending their kids to a “school, which employs an untouchable as a cook”.
The problem of untouchability is not unique in Bihar, but unlike other cases, Lali decided to put up a fight for her right to “do my duty of feeding the kids”.
Lali alongwith four other women Asha Devi, Madhu Devi (both Dalits), Urmila Devi and Renu Devi (also belonging to backward castes) and involved in the same vocation formed a group, taking up the issue with the Bihar human resources secretary, M.M. Jha.
Acting swiftly, Jha ordered an FIR to be lodged against Tiwary and others who damaged the school hearth and directed the local authorities to escort Lali and the schoolchildren back to the school.
Jha also entrusted the education officials and local panchayats with the duty to make local Brahmins aware of the law and its consequences for those exercising untouchability.
“The immediate action paid off. Lali today prepared food for over 80 students and even fed them. All the local education officials and even village people were there to see Lali feeding the kids,” said M.M. Jha to The Telegraph.
A very content Lali said: “Jhaji is a Brahmin, too. The entire community should learn from him. I love earning my livelihood by serving school kids. It gives me motherly satisfaction.”
The particular school has 90 students, mostly Brahmins.
Tiwary and the school headmaster, Rajmani Pandey, are absconding — sources said to avoid the “embarrassment”. “But the law will take its course against the two for they have done something which is unlawful and unacceptable,” Jha admitted.
