Dalit kids made to sit separately
The matter came to light when parents submitted a memorandum seeking inquiry into the incident
Chandigarh: Dalit students and their parents were allegedly made to sit separately during a community lunch (Dham) organised to celebrate the golden jubilee celebrations of a government school in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, the second most literate state of the country.
It is common practice in some villages of Himachal Pradesh to segregate Dalits during the community feasts on social occasions, but this case of students being segregated during school function has surfaced for the first time in the state.
The matter came to light when a memorandum was given to the district administration by some villagers seeking inquiry into the incident.
According to Uttam Ram, a former panchyat pardhan who was instrumental in bringing the matter to the light, “ The incident happened on June 23 in the presence of the officials of education department and officials of administration. The school authorities invited the students from nearby schools for the function. IN the ground, where the lunch was organised, 200 Dalit students and their parents were made to sit separately.”