Rajasthan: Dalit Teacher Who Prioritized Savitribai Phule Over Goddess Saraswati Forced to Commute 150 KM Daily

Speaking with The Mooknayak, Hemlata Bairwa said, "I am a single woman. My life is in danger. Commuting such a long distance alone is challenging for me. I constantly feel insecure."

Hemlata Bairwa (L) is presently attached with the remote CDEEO office in Baran, which requires her to commute 150 kilometers daily from her village.

Jaipur-The alleged state-supported discrimination and harassment against Dalit lady teacher Hemlata Bairwa have continued unabated, even five months after the incident. Although she has been reinstated following a challenge to her suspension in a competent court, she has yet to be posted back to her school.

To further harass her, she has been attached to the remote CDEEO office in the same district, requiring her to commute 150 kilometers daily for attendance.

Hemlata Bairwa told The Mooknayak, "After the Department of Elementary Education revoked my suspension order on April 13, they transferred me from the Bikaner headquarters and attached me to the CDEEO office in Chhipa Baroda in my home district of Baran. This is quite far from my village, Geegchi, in Kishanganj. I have to commute 150 kilometers daily to reach the office."

Hemlata Bairwa further said, "I submitted an application to the District Education Officer requesting my posting in a school or any office closer to my residence. The District Education Officer is using the code of conduct as an excuse not to act on my application, even though I was reinstated to the Chhipa Baroda CDEEO office during the same code of conduct period when my suspension order was revoked."

"I am a single woman. My life is in danger. Commuting such a long distance alone daily is troublesome, and I feel insecure. I have also received death threats over the phone. I have a young daughter. I have mentioned all these concerns in my application, but I am still being harassed at the behest of the Education Minister," Hemlata said.

Copy of the application submitted by Hemlata Bairwa requesting posting to a closer location from her home.

The Mooknayak spoke to Baran District Education Officer Piyush Kumar Sharma regarding the matter. He said, "We have received the teacher's application. The code of conduct is currently in effect, so we cannot take any action. Schools are also closed. Action will only be taken after June 4."

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'Savitri not Saraswati, the Goddess of Education' - The statement that landed the Dalit teacher in trouble

On January 26, 2024, Republic Day eventwas held at the premises of the Government Upper Primary School in Lakdai village, Nahargarh police station area, Baran district. During this event, a dispute arose initially among the staff and later between villagers and Hemlata Bairwa over the placement of pictures of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Saraswati on the stage and the worship of Saraswati. A video of the argument between the villagers and the female teacher also surfaced.

Hemlata told The Mooknayak, "On Republic Day, as a government employee, I was performing my official duties to celebrate the Republic Day function. Two teachers at my school pressured me to conduct Saraswati Puja. Since this was constitutionally wrong, I refused. Subsequently, these teachers brought some villagers, and they created a ruckus in the school to perform an unconstitutional act. I stood firm to protect the Constitution. Because I am a Dalit, one-sided action was taken against me."

Following this incident, a video of State Education Minister Madan Dilawar went viral. In the video, Dilawar said, "In schools, people are now questioning the role of Maa Saraswati. They have become so audacious that they have not yet mended their ways. I am suspending the person raising these questions and attaching them to Bikaner office. I gave these instructions to the officials just an hour ago," said the minister in a public meeting in Baran in February, where the audience praised his decision with chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai."

On February 23, immediately after the minister's speech, an order was issued by the Baran District Elementary Education Officer (Headquarters). It stated that disciplinary action was being initiated against Bairwa, and she was being suspended with immediate effect, with her headquarters transferred to Bikaner, approximately 600 kilometers from her home district.

The Dalit teacher challenged her suspension in Rajasthan Administrative Tribunal — which issued notices to the Education Department. She was later reinstated , however, instead of a school posting, she has been attached with CDEEO office in Baran.