Dalit students made to sit in area ‘meant for horses and cattle’ to hear pm’s 'pariksha pe charcha'
Dehradhun: Dalit students of a government high school in Kullu were reportedly made to sit separately outside, in a “place used for horses”, during the telecast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Pariksha Par Charcha’ on Friday.
According to reports, the school in Kullu’s Chestha gram panchayat had made arrangements for students to watch Modi’s televised programme at the residence of the head of the school management committee.
In a complaint to Kullu Deputy Commissioner Yunus on Friday evening, some of the students alleged that a teacher, Mehar Chand, told them to sit outside the room where the television had been set up. “Dalit students were made to sit in a place used for keeping horses,” they said, adding that they were warned not to leave midway through the programme.
In their complaint, written in Hindi on a school notebook, the students alleged that they are also subjected to “caste discrimination during midday meals”. “Students belonging to Scheduled Caste category are made to sit separately. Even the headmaster does nothing… he also practices untouchability,” they said.
Following a purported video clip of the incident, a local organisation, Anusuchit Jati Kalyan Sangh, lodged a protest with the school headmaster, Rajan Bhardwaj, and deputy director, education, Kullu, Jagdish Pathania, on Saturday.
“The headmaster, Rajan Bhardwaj, has confirmed the incident and tendered an apology, assuring that this will not be allowed to happen again. But that’s not enough,” said a member of the organisation.
“This matter has come to my notice today. I have asked Secretary, Education to get a report and take stern action,” said State Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj. “I have also been told that Dalit students faced discrimination in the school earlier too, during midday meals. If these reports are true, we will not spare the guilty,” he said.
“The government will seek a report from the local administration and recommend suitable action,” said Secretary (Education) Arun Sharma.
Terming it as a “serious matter”, Deputy Commissioner Yunus said a magisterial probe has been ordered into the incident. “SDM Kullu, Sunny Sharma, will hold the magisterial inquiry. The report has been sought in the next two days,” he said. “Disciplinary action has already been initiated against the headmaster. If the incident is confirmed, criminal liability will be fixed,” he said.
An inquiry committee comprising deputy director (higher education), deputy director (elementary education), district project officer, ICDS, and the local SHO is scheduled to visit the school on Monday.
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Kharge Urges union minister to fast track key proposals for Central University of Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday demanded the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to expedite the approval of key proposals related to Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, which are currently pending before the Centre.
In a letter to the Minister, he noted that the Central University of Karnataka serves as an hub of education for students not only from Kalaburagi and the seven districts of the Kalyana Karnataka region but those from entire Karnataka and several areas of neighbouring states.
Kharge who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said that the University plays a vital role in addressing educational disparities and fostering opportunities for growth.
Highlighting that the development and growth of such institutions require the Central Government's sustained financial and institutional support, Kharge stated that sanction of new postgraduate departments, teaching positions and HEFA funding proposal that are critical to the progress of the University and the region await the approval from the Government of India.
In the letter, Kharge stated that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has recommended establishing various postgraduate departments, including Statistics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Plant and Animal Sciences, Genetics and Genomics, Library and Information Science, and a BA/LLB program. The matter is currently under consideration.
"To operationalize the proposed departments, the sanction of 55 teaching positions is essential. This proposal is also in the advanced stages of process and awaiting approval," he said.
Kharge also mentioned that the University has submitted a proposal under the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) for constructing hostels for boys and girls, along with other essential infrastructure. This matter is also under consideration.
"Given the importance of these initiatives for the development of the Kalyana Karnataka region and their significant impact on students from underprivileged and underdeveloped areas, I kindly request your urgent intervention in the matter. I urge you to instruct the concerned officials to follow-up and expedite the approval of said proposals on a priority basis," he stated.
