By IANS,
Lucknow : Six Dalit girl students in Uttar Pradesh Thursday accused their school principal of refusing to taste food they cooked for their home science practical examinations.
Principal Madhuri Pandey, who belongs to an upper caste, was charged with practising discrimination with the girls and police and the education authorities are jointly investigating the case. The incident took place Wednesday.
“The complainants are Class 8 students of the private Jyoti Shiksha Niketan at Tejapur village in Mau district,” an official in-charge of primary education in the district, Chandrapal, told IANS by phone Thursday. Mau is some 300 km from here.
“We have learnt that Pandey refused to take food cooked by the Dalit students when they offered it,” he said.
As a part of their syllabus, nearly 40 students were asked to bring cooked food from their homes. Teachers were to taste the food for giving them marks in the subject.
Deputy Superintendent of Police V.S. Mishra said: “Necessary action will be taken against the school principal after completion of the enquiry.”