Caste row: Upper caste students skip classes

Kendrapara: The upper caste students today skipped classes in a government-run primary school in Sanamarichapalli village that is presently embroiled in an unsavoury caste-bound conflict stemming from mid-day-meal preparation.

Today the school, locked in MDM tangle, wore deserted look as more than one hundred upper caste students skipped classes.

“The parents might have stopped them from going to classes. The sabaranas comprise of the two third of the schools roll strength. There was also a drop in attendance of dalit students. Hardly 30 of them turned up to attend classes”, said the schoolteachers.

“Small children know little of caste divide. Parents should desist from poisoning their impressionable minds”, remarked a schoolteacher.

Since 19 January, the sleepy village in Rajnagar police station area has come under spotlight.

The cooking of MDM in the school by scheduled caste women had triggered an ugly row as a section of villagers had stopped the meal preparation and had locked up the women cooks.

Police have arrested a member of local village education committee in connection with the incident.

However, imbroglio continues as both the factions continue to maintain stubborn stand. While upper-caste want that cooking that is being done by dalits be stopped, the other factions remain unrelenting and want the continuation of the practice.