PUNE: A day after a IMD scientist registered a cheating complaint against her cook, claiming she hurt her "religious sentiments" by posing as a Brahmin, several organisations came out in support of the 60-year-old woman. A controversy erupted after Medha Khole, who is a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department here registered a cheating case against her cook, Nirmala Yadav, for allegedly religious sentiments by hiding her caste and marital status and posed as "Brahmin" to get the job.
Members of Sambhaji Brigade today met Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Kadam and sought action against Khole for allegedly creating caste rift in the society. "Do not look at this case as a standalone or individual point of view as it has created a very strong social impact. "If you see, the case is filed by a person, who holds an important position in a key department of government and calls herself a scientist and the case shows the complainant's casteist mindset," Santosh Shinde of the Brigade said. In the complaint, they have sought stern action against the scientist so that a strong message would go into the society, he said.
The cook also received support from organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal as their members visited her house and extended their support to her. "We met Yadav and extended our support and we also demand that Khole should tender an apology and withdraw the case against her," Sampat Charwad of the Bajrang Dal said. Meanwhile, Akhil Bhartiya Brahman Mahasangh, a body representing Brahmin community, termed the police case by the scientist as "unwarranted" and said the issue should be resolved mutually. "Who to employ to prepare food on religious occasions and rituals at home is the personal choice, but looking at the age of the cook, we believe that the police case was unwarranted and we also think that the issue should be resolved mutually," Anand Dave of the organisation said. People took to social media to denounce Khole's action. Khole had said in the complaint that she needed a Brahmin married woman, whose husband is alive, to cook food at her house during religious and other occasions. Yadav, who approached Khole in 2016 for the job, had then introduced herself as Nirmala Kulkarni, a senior police official had said. "The complainant had even gone to her house to cross check her claim in 2016. Thereafter, Yadav started going to Khole's house on such occasions to prepare food," she had added.
The officer had said Khole came to know on Wednesday that the cook was not a Brahmin. After this, Khole went to the cook's house to seek an explanation and found out her real name, the officer added. Khole also claimed that the cook abused and intimated her, police said. A case under Sections 419 (cheating by personation), 352 (punishment for assault or criminal force) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Sinhgad Police Station, the official said.