Allow Dalit woman to work in noon meal centre:Bench
Staff Reporter
“Petitioner’s behaviour cannot be condoned”
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has come down heavily on a Government-aided private primary school secretary for preventing a newly-appointed Dalit woman assistant cook from joining a noon meal centre situated on the school premises.
Dismissing a writ petition filed by the secretary from Muthusamiapuram in Tiruneleveli district, Justice K. Chandru said: “The petitioner’s high-handed behaviour in stopping a woman cook from a Dalit family to join the noon meal centre, for whatever reason, cannot be condoned by this court. The action is nothing but cutting the nose to spire the face.”
The secretary had challenged an order passed by the Collector on September 17 suspending the operation of the noon meal centre unless the Dalit woman was allowed to join duty. On the petitioner’s contention that he was not consulted before selecting the woman, the Judge said the management cannot have veto power in such selections made by a committee and approved by the Collector.
“The word ‘consult’ found in the Government Order dated October 21, 1993 issued by the Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme does not mean ‘consent’ by the school management. Therefore, the grounds raised by the management are egocentric and arises out of social prejudice developed over the centuries which our Constitution is determined to eradicate,” Mr. Justice Chandru said.
Despite dismissing the petition, the Judge directed the school secretary to allow the Dalit woman to work in the centre. In turn the Collector was ordered to reopen the noon meal centre and to depute his personal assistant (noon meal programme) to set right the problems created by the petitioner.
Tamil Nadu’s noon meal scheme has been acclaimed across the country and also received international attention.
But for the scheme, the children would be malnourished which can create a whole generation of an emaciated youth afflicted with poor faculties. It has prevented school drop outs, besides helping Government-aided private schools to show up required students’ strength and thereby receive 100 per cent grant towards salaries to the teachers and other staff, the Judge added.
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