Reportedly, the children were not eating food prepared by the cook Sunita Devi due to pressure from the family. The family members of the children pressured the administration in protest against the Dalit cook.

Champawat: A shocking case has come to light from Champawat in Uttarakhand which has been going on for the last three days. Children of upper castes refused to eat food at Sukhidhang Inter College in Champawat district. The reason for this is that the cook (bhojanmata) belongs to a depressed class. The upper caste students objected to the preparation of food by the Dalit woman and did not even eat the food. Not only the children but the families of these children also created a ruckus about this. The cook has been blamed for this dispute which has been going on for the last three days.

What is the whole matter?

According to the report of Dainik Jagran, 60 students study in Sukhidhang Inter College, Champawat. Out of 60 children, most are upper castes. Of these, 40 are from the general category and 20 from the scheduled caste. The cook, who has been appointed to prepare food here is a Dalit. She was doing the work of cooking food for the children, but one day the children refused to eat her hand-cooked food.

After the appointment of the cook who belonged to the depressed classes, the students refused to have food for a day. Reportedly, the children were not eating food prepared by Sunita Devi due to pressure from the family. Most of the children were coming to college from their homes with tiffins. Not only the children but their families also put pressure on the administration.

Appointment canceled

After the controversy escalated, the Education Department swung into action and set up an investigation. To resolve this matter, a meeting was held on December 22 and in this meeting, Dalit cook Sunita Devi was made the scapegoat. The Education Department, which came under pressure from the developments, has canceled the appointment of Sunita. Sunita will no longer cook food in school. Till the new appointment is made, the assistant food mother Vimala Upreti has been instructed to prepare lunch only.

Allegations of rigging in appointment

Let us tell you that in this entire matter. Questions have also been raised on the appointment of Bhojan Mata Sunita Devi. On the one hand, the principal is telling this appointment according to the rules, while on the other hand, the parents' union alleges that the appointment was to be of a savarna food mother, but against the proposal, a woman from the Dalit class was appointed.

According to News-18, Shakuntala Devi was earlier employed as a Bhojanmata in the Government Inter College, Sukhidhang, Champawat. She retired when she turned 60. The decision to appoint Pushpa Bhatt as the new Bhojanmata was taken in the meeting of PTA and SMC. Now it is alleged that instead of the resolution passed in the meeting, the Principal appointed a Dalit woman as Bhojanmata.

Sunita alleges harassment

According to Dainik Jagran, in the case, Sunita sent a complaint letter to the Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate, alleging the use of caste-indicative words. Sunita said that she was called with some objectionable words. Along with this, she said that children were encouraged not to eat food prepared by her hands.

Sunita has also complained about this harassment in the court of Judicial Magistrate Tanakpur. Sunita Devi has been fired from her job for the time being. Now it remains to be seen what action is taken in this case.

Story Edited by Jinit Parmar