In UP, kids really feel the warmth of state’s caste-driven politics

By IANS

LUCKNOW: In Uttar Pradesh, ‘C is for kids and ‘C can also be for caste. It is faculty kids who bear the brunt of the prevailing caste politics within the state.

There are innumerable instances of kids being discriminated in opposition to in authorities faculties on the idea of caste. Most of them both go unreported or don’t invite any motion.

Last 12 months, in Amethi, the principal of a main faculty in Gaderi in Sangrampur space was accused of allegedly forming a “separate queue of Dalit children” after they have been served the noon meal.

An FIR was registered in opposition to the principal Kusum Soni, beneath sections of the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act and she or he was suspended.

The case was additionally reported to the district Justice of the Peace who ordered a probe by the Basic Shiksha Adhikari.

There was additionally the case of segregation of utensils utilized by Dalit college students in a authorities faculty in Mainpuri district.

“This has now become a way of life, especially in rural areas. The caste feeling is so dominant now that it is the children who refuse to eat food cooked by a Dalit or sit with children belonging to Dalit castes. We try to sort out the matter in the school itself and it is only when a TV channel highlights the incident that action is taken,” says Ram Prakash Srivastava, a retired faculty trainer in Ballia.

Vinay Kumar, the pinnacle of a village in an japanese UP constituency, says, “The caste system has gained strong roots and unless the local MLA or MP belongs to a marginalised caste, Dalit children are victimised in schools. Teachers, while beating them or scolding them, use cuss words and caste shame them. I belong to the Dalit community but there is little I can do to protect the children because the local MLA belongs to the upper caste and so do the local officials.”

Sangita, a category 4 scholar who belongs to a Dalit neighborhood, says that the varsity trainer tells her to take a seat in a separate row and she or he can also be requested to take a seat away from others when the noon meal is served.

“Big (read upper caste) children do not play with me and they also get the food first,” she says.

Sangita says that the one time she is given ‘VIP aur accha kaam (therapy)’ is when ‘mantri ji’ comes to highschool.

Her mom, Asha, says that the trainer asks her to place oil on Sangita’s head and comb her hair and she or he is taught methods to communicate to the visitor. In return she will get candies however as soon as the go to is over, issues are again to being worse.

Radhika Saxena, who works with kids belonging to marginalised communities, says that the caste discrimination in faculties stays a significant factor in conserving the children, particularly ladies, away from faculty.

‘The drop-out fee will increase as kids begin rising up and start to comprehend that they’re being subjected to abusive behaviour. Some male academics even derive sadistic pleasure by not permitting ladies to alleviate themselves throughout faculty hours and this sort of behaviour is just for Dalits,” she says.

Radhika says that the issue lies with the social and political system which has grow to be extremely caste-oriented and academics are part of it.

“De-sensitizing teachers does not work and now even children are becoming caste conscious which is a highly dangerous trend for the future. I have seen some upper caste children refer to Dalit children with abuses,” she provides.

A retired IAS officer, who served within the state schooling division for a very long time, admits that authorities schemes exist primarily on paper and the truth is completely different.

“We provide uniforms, shoes, books and other incentives but who checks whether the children are actually getting the benefits. There is no system to check if teachers behave well with children. The human resource factor is missing from the system and books alone will not make schools a better place,” he says.

LUCKNOW: In Uttar Pradesh, ‘C is for kids and ‘C can also be for caste. It is faculty kids who bear the brunt of the prevailing caste politics within the state.

There are innumerable instances of kids being discriminated in opposition to in authorities faculties on the idea of caste. Most of them both go unreported or don’t invite any motion.

Last 12 months, in Amethi, the principal of a main faculty in Gaderi in Sangrampur space was accused of allegedly forming a “separate queue of Dalit children” after they have been served the noon meal.

An FIR was registered in opposition to the principal Kusum Soni, beneath sections of the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act and she or he was suspended.

The case was additionally reported to the district Justice of the Peace who ordered a probe by the Basic Shiksha Adhikari.

There was additionally the case of segregation of utensils utilized by Dalit college students in a authorities faculty in Mainpuri district.

“This has now become a way of life, especially in rural areas. The caste feeling is so dominant now that it is the children who refuse to eat food cooked by a Dalit or sit with children belonging to Dalit castes. We try to sort out the matter in the school itself and it is only when a TV channel highlights the incident that action is taken,” says Ram Prakash Srivastava, a retired faculty trainer in Ballia.

Vinay Kumar, the pinnacle of a village in an japanese UP constituency, says, “The caste system has gained strong roots and unless the local MLA or MP belongs to a marginalised caste, Dalit children are victimised in schools. Teachers, while beating them or scolding them, use cuss words and caste shame them. I belong to the Dalit community but there is little I can do to protect the children because the local MLA belongs to the upper caste and so do the local officials.”

Sangita, a category 4 scholar who belongs to a Dalit neighborhood, says that the varsity trainer tells her to take a seat in a separate row and she or he can also be requested to take a seat away from others when the noon meal is served.

“Big (read upper caste) children do not play with me and they also get the food first,” she says.

Sangita says that the one time she is given ‘VIP aur accha kaam (therapy)’ is when ‘mantri ji’ comes to highschool.

Her mom, Asha, says that the trainer asks her to place oil on Sangita’s head and comb her hair and she or he is taught methods to communicate to the visitor. In return she will get candies however as soon as the go to is over, issues are again to being worse.

Radhika Saxena, who works with kids belonging to marginalised communities, says that the caste discrimination in faculties stays a significant factor in conserving the children, particularly ladies, away from faculty.

‘The drop-out fee will increase as kids begin rising up and start to comprehend that they’re being subjected to abusive behaviour. Some male academics even derive sadistic pleasure by not permitting ladies to alleviate themselves throughout faculty hours and this sort of behaviour is just for Dalits,” she says.

Radhika says that the issue lies with the social and political system which has grow to be extremely caste-oriented and academics are part of it.

“De-sensitizing teachers does not work and now even children are becoming caste conscious which is a highly dangerous trend for the future. I have seen some upper caste children refer to Dalit children with abuses,” she provides.

A retired IAS officer, who served within the state schooling division for a very long time, admits that authorities schemes exist primarily on paper and the truth is completely different.

“We provide uniforms, shoes, books and other incentives but who checks whether the children are actually getting the benefits. There is no system to check if teachers behave well with children. The human resource factor is missing from the system and books alone will not make schools a better place,” he says.