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Bhandara (Maharashtra): It is nearly 60 years since India has gained independence, but the division on caste lines still seems to exist in the country. This was evident when teachers of a primary school in Bhandara district of Maharashtra allegedly sprinkled goumutra(cow urine) at the school premises and on their students because the previous headmistress was a Dalit and they wanted to purify the school and the children - most of whom belong to lower castes The children were taken to the police station, for they were witness to the case of the violation of civil liberties committed on them. The principal has been suspended following the media expose, but the students are finding the shocking casteist treatment hard to forget. "Our principal sprinkled goumutra on SC students and said this was for your well-being," said Sonali Meshram, a student. "We were told you would study well after getting purified," added another student Rajat Washnik. The act and the reason for sprinkling cow urine obviously angered the parents. "In this age of science, the principal is a blot on the teachers' reputation," said Arvind Gosani, a parent. But the school authorities refuted the allegation. "This is all false. No one sprinkled anything on the students," said Madhvi Rao, one of the teachers. Angry villagers said the police were going soft on the matter. The authorities concerned however ensured that strict action would be taken to prevent any repeat of what happened in Bhandara.
(ibnlive.com dated 26 April 2007)
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