Principal, accused of caste-based discrimination, suspended in Rajasthan

The education department on Friday suspended the principal, who was accused of caste-based discrimination in a school in Barmer.

District education officer Shankarlal Khorwal, while confirming the report, said that the allegations were found to be true after which the principal (Raichandram Choudhary) of the government upper primary school in Puniyon Ki Dhani, some 100km off Barmer, was suspended.

A group of students had alleged that the principal did not allow them to sit for their mid-day meals with the upper caste children or drink water from the same tank. About 24 students also told the police that their plates were kept separate from those of upper caste children.

Khorwal said that on Thursday he got the probe report from the Dhorimanna block education officer, Laxman Solanki, after which on Friday he issued the suspension order. The accused principal had been put on compulsory wait after the issue came to light.

On Tuesday, around 24, out of 144 students of the school, had lodged a complaint with the local police under the Scheduled Caste and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for alleged caste-based discrimination.

Deputy superintendent of police Ramniwas Sunda said that they have registered an FIR and will start the investigation on Saturday.

Solanki said that during the investigation he had recorded the statement of the victims and other students who belong to the upper caste and other villagers. He claimed that the upper cases student told him that SC/ST students were not allowed to drink water from the school tank.

According to Solanki, the upper caste students told him that the principal had told them to get water from the tank and pour it into bottles and utensils belonging to SC/ST students.

He also claimed that villagers confirmed the allegations and told him that SC/ST students were not allowed to sit and eat midday meals with upper caste students. They were made to eat meals in separate utensils and sit separately.

“Locals told me that in 2012 the same allegation had been levelled against the principal,” said Solanki.

According to him, the accused has been posted at the school since for past 17 years.